Magnetar Birth Observed Directly, Confirming Supernova Power Source

For the first time, astronomers have directly observed the birth of a magnetar, a highly magnetic neutron star, through a unique "chirping" signal from a distant supernova. This groundbreaking observation confirms that magnetars are responsible for powering some of the universe's most luminous stellar explosions. The discovery, detailed in Nature, also marks a novel application of Einstein's theory of general relativity to explain supernova mechanics.