this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Do they have protons or only neutrons? because if there are no protons then it is technically just neutronium and not an element,

If they do have protons, then it is safe to assume it is a ridiculous number like 10^40. in which case I would count it as an element. And given how unlikely is for 2 neutron stars to share the number of protons, then every single neutron star is its own element,

And also, because they do not react with other atom, and if 2 collide then they merge their nucleus, we can agree that they are non reactive, and therefore we can consider them noble gasses...

Wait, are they gas?

YES, they are, if there is a single atom floating in space I think that counts as a gas

[–] wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I would argue that, since they lack an electron cloud and are comprised of a collection of free-floating nuclei, they are actually a plasma.

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

can we say that neuron stars are ions?

wait, are neuton stars positively charged?

[–] wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well, we can't call them atoms, which are defined by the presence of an electron cloud surrounding a nucleus.

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

When will NASA finally approve my mission to send an electron cloud to a neuton star to force schools to print a periodic tables to include a neutron star.

[–] wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

That sounds like more of an ESA/JAXA joint venture. The only stuff NASA is going to be doing for the foreseeable future is ensuring the rapid export of Space Fascism™

[–] Fleur_@aussie.zone 8 points 1 day ago

I'm sure there's at least more than 200 protons throughout regardless of majority composition