My thesis describes how laboratory experiments recreate nuclear reactions occurring on accreting neutron stars. By developing a novel particle detection system, I achieved the first simultaneous neutron–proton measurements, enabling more complex studies that illuminate extreme matter, stellar evolution, and the cosmic origins of elements fundamental to life.

Only five percent of the universe is visible through light, leaving most of it unexplained. Gravitational waves provide a new way to explore this hidden cosmos. By detecting these signals early, researchers can predict cosmic collisions and coordinate telescopes in advance, enabling simultaneous observations that deepen our understanding of the universe.

My talk explains how neutron stars—extremely dense remnants of stellar explosions—contain matter we cannot study on Earth. By analyzing gravitational waves from colliding neutron stars, the speaker models how their deformation (or “squishiness”) reveals their internal composition. This method may uncover entirely new forms of matter and transform fundamental physics.