By U.S. Department of Energy June 29, 2023 In dense nuclear matter, quarks “line up,” becoming essentially one-dimensional. Calculations considering that single dimension plus time can track how low energy excitations ripple through nuclear matter. Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have used two-dimensional condensed matter physics to understand the quark interactions in neutron stars, simplifying the study of these densest cosmic entities. This work helps to describe low-energy excitations in dense nuclear matter and could unveil new phenomena in extreme densities, propelling advancements in the study of neutron stars and comparisons with heavy-ion collisions. The Science…