Mon Sep 22 00:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, along with a summary:
**Summary:**
Astronomers have discovered a new type of extremely powerful cosmic event called “Extreme Nuclear Transients” (ENTs). These events, far more powerful than even gamma-ray bursts, are caused when supermassive black holes devour massive stars. The tidal forces stretch and compress the star into a “spaghetti” shape, releasing tremendous amounts of energy. The discovery was made using data from the Gaia spacecraft and other telescopes. Researchers believe ENTs can help them study massive black holes in the early universe and understand the extreme physics of cosmic destruction.
**News Article:**
**New ‘Biggest Explosions’ Discovered in the Universe: Extreme Nuclear Transients Dwarf Gamma-Ray Bursts**
**KOCHI, September 22, 2025** – Astronomers have identified a new class of cosmic events that dwarfs even the power of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), previously considered the most powerful explosions in the universe. Dubbed “Extreme Nuclear Transients” (ENTs), these cataclysmic events occur when massive stars are ripped apart by supermassive black holes lurking at the centers of galaxies.
A team from the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy (IfA), led by Jason Hinkle, published their findings in *Science Advances*. The research details the extraordinary phenomena that occur when a star, three times heavier than our sun, wanders too close to a gargantuan black hole. The intense tidal forces stretch and compress the star into a long, thin stream, a process astronomers call “spaghettification,” releasing immense amounts of electromagnetic energy in the process.
“ENTs are the most energetic class of transient events yet discovered,” said Dr. Hinkle. “They emit up to ten-times more energy than the previous record holders [GRBs].”
Dr. Hinkle’s team discovered ENTs while analyzing data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft and the Zwicky Transient Facility, which scans the Northern sky. These events remain luminous for years in radio wavelengths, allowing for long-term study.
While sharing similarities with tidal disruption events (TDEs), where stars are similarly torn apart, ENTs originate in larger galaxies with more massive black holes. They are also much rarer, leading scientists to believe they represent TDEs involving massive stars that are simply less common.
The discovery of ENTs opens new avenues for understanding the early universe. As Dr. Hinkle noted, “By building a sample of ENTs, we can study massive black holes in the early universe, especially the large majority of those that are not otherwise accreting.”
The next generation of telescopes, equipped with AI-powered data analysis, such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (launching in 2027), will play a crucial role in further exploring these cosmic behemoths and revolutionizing our understanding of the extreme physics driving these events. The Hindu’s science writer Prakash Chandra contributed to this report.
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