1949 paper on neutron stars

The 1949 paper on neutron stars introduced the idea that when massive stars exhaust their nuclear fuel and collapse under gravity, they can compress into incredibly dense objects composed mostly of neutrons, called neutron stars. These stars are extremely small—about 20 kilometers across—but contain more mass than our Sun, resulting in enormous gravity and density. The paper explained how this rapid collapse could produce objects with unique physical properties, influencing our understanding of stellar evolution and the densest observable matter in the universe. It laid the groundwork for studying these extraordinary celestial bodies.