When a star reaches the end of its life its core implodes and, due to the force of gravity, what remains is a relatively small cluster of atomic nuclei, commonly referred to by astronomers as a neutron star.

While a fraction of it’s original size this extremely dense cluster of atomic nuclei (which is still comparatively huge from a human perspective – around 10-15 km in radius) is so dense due to the fact that all that previous matter which made up the star has now been condensed into a small cluster. It’s so dense that if you were weigh a portion of it equivalent to a teaspoon-full (flat…not heaped) it would still weigh several million tons.

Suffice to say you’d need a stronger teaspoon.

Originally published on howitworksdaily.com