Cosmic vampires: rare white-dwarf accretion could forge neutron stars

Astronomers map a rare pathway called accretion-induced collapse (AIC) where certain dense white dwarfs, especially oxygen–neon–magnesium ones close to the Chandrasekhar limit, can quietly become neutron stars when fed at just the right rate from a companion. Unlike ordinary supernovae, AICs eject little material, making them faint and fast; they should produce a brief ultraviolet/optical flare (about 2–3 days) with potential X-ray and longer radio emissions, providing a target for future observations by facilities like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory to identify these elusive stellar births.