Oval-orbit merger challenges standard view of black-hole–neutron-star binaries
New analysis of the GW200105 gravitational-wave event finds the merging black hole and neutron star in a highly eccentric, oval-shaped orbit, upending the assumption of circular orbits in these binaries and suggesting alternative formation pathways shaped by their environment; future detectors like LISA could reveal more exotic mergers and broaden our understanding of these extreme systems.