How Much Do You Know About Space?
Space may seem unfathomably vast, silent, and empty, but it's full of weird phenomena that defy logic and blow our minds. From planets made of diamonds to supermassive water reservoirs, the more scientists discover, the more confounding it seems. Here are five of the weirdest facts about space that no one believes.
1. There's a Planet Made of Diamonds
There is a planet called 55 Cancri e that scientists believe is covered in diamonds. It's about twice the size of Earth, and its extreme carbon richness, combined with the immense pressure it's under, would form diamonds worth an estimated $26.9 nonillion.
Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash
2. There Are Zombie Stars
When most stars die, they explode in supernovas, but some have a different fate. Stars astronomers have nicknamed "zombie stars" can steal matter from nearby stars and reignite themselves in a fiery rebirth.
3. Space Has a Sound
We all assume space is silent, but it actually has a sound; we just can't hear it because sound needs a medium like air to travel through. However, NASA has captured radio emissions from black holes and planets and converted them into audible frequencies, which apparently sound like a droning hum.
4. Time Moves Slower Near Black Holes
Near a black hole, the pull of gravity is so intense that time moves more slowly: a phenomenon known as gravitational time dilation. If you orbited one for an hour, decades could pass on Earth.
5. There's a Huge Body of Water Floating In Space
Scientists have discovered a massive water reservoir containing 140 trillion oceans. It's the largest body of water ever detected, but it's about 12 billion light-years away from Earth.
