The only known pulsar duo sheds new light on general relativity and more
For 16 years, scientists have been observing a one-of-a-kind system of two pulsating dead stars
![illustration of two blue pulsars emitting yellow beams of radiation](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/121021_EC_pulsar-duo_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
As they spin, two pulsars (blue circles) emit beams of radiation (yellow), channeled by strong magnetic fields (light blue doughnuts). When the beams sweep past Earth, they appear as metronome-like repeating blips. The two pulsars revealed the effects of the warping of spacetime (represented by the grid, bottom) caused by the pulsars, testing Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
© Michael Kramer/MPIfR