<ul><li>Astronomers have discovered a new type of massive explosion in space called 'extreme nuclear transients' (ENTs), which occur when stars are torn apart by supermassive black holes.</li><li>These explosions, including one named Gaia18cdj, are incredibly bright and long-lasting, with energy levels surpassing even the most powerful supernovae.</li><li>The discovery was made by a team from the University of Hawaiʻi’s Institute for Astronomy and published in the journal Science Advances after years of follow-up observations using telescopes worldwide.</li><li>ENTs are rare cosmic events, potentially providing insights into the growth of supermassive black holes and the early universe, with astronomers anticipating more discoveries through advanced telescopes like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and NASA’s Roman Space Telescope.</li></ul>

Astronomers discover most powerful explosions since the big bang

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