An international team of researchers led by scientists from the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University uncovered evidence that astrophysics models of massive stars and supernovae are inconsistent with observational gamma-ray astronomy. The discovery came after the team used an innovative new experimental method to investigate uncertain nuclear properties of an unstable isotope.

Artemis Spyrou, professor of physics at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams and in the Michigan State University Department of Physics and Astronomy, led an international research team to investigate iron-60, an unstable isotope, by using a new experimental method. The team — which included Sean Liddick, associate professor of chemistry at FRIB and in MSU’s Department of Chemistry and Experimental Nuclear Science Department head at FRIB, and 11 FRIB graduate students and postdoctoral researchers — published its findings in Nature Communications.