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A star that goes nova is only supposed to explode once… right?

That long-held assumption was upended when astronomers spotted a Type II-P supernova in progress in a star 509 million light-years away on September 8, 2014. The exploding star in question, iPTF14hls, was predicted to fade within 100 days, but its luminosity not only persisted for the next 600 days, it also flared to an even greater brightness at least five more times, implying that this single star had experienced a supernova at least six times.
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A new study suggests that the fusion of subatomic quarks can result in the release of a huge amount of energy, in a process that could potentially rival that of nuclear fusion.

Quarks are the building blocks of all known matter, with different combinations of quarks making up sub-atomic particles such as electrons or protons. Everyone is familiar with the concept of nuclear fusion, particularly hydrogen fusion, where two hydrogen atoms are fused to form a single helium atom, and in the process converting part of the atom’s leftover mass into energy.
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Ever since a massive subsurface ocean was discovered under the ice on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, scientists have sought to uncover the reason behind the existence of liquid water on a world that should be frozen solid. However, a new study not only illustrates what may be the mechanism behind the presence of Enceladus’ liquid water, but also that the process has been going on for billions of years — more than long enough for life to gain a foothold there.
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