Paul Sutter
Paul M. Sutter is an astrophysicist at SUNY Stony Brook and the Flatiron Institute in New York City. Paul received his PhD in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011, and spent three years at the Paris Institute of Astrophysics, followed by a research fellowship in Trieste, Italy, His research focuses on many diverse topics, from the emptiest regions of the universe to the earliest moments of the Big Bang to the hunt for the first stars. As an "Agent to the Stars," Paul has passionately engaged the public in science outreach for several years. He is the host of the popular "Ask a Spaceman!" podcast, author of "Your Place in the Universe" and "How to Die in Space" and he frequently appears on TV — including on The Weather Channel, for which he serves as Official Space Specialist.
Latest articles by Paul Sutter
Could there be a cluster of antimatter stars orbiting our galaxy?
By Paul Sutter published
We don't know why the universe is dominated by matter over antimatter, but there could be entire stars, and maybe even galaxies, in the universe made of antimatter.
Neutrons' 'evil twins' may be crushing stars into black holes
By Paul Sutter published
The universe may be filled with "mirror" particles — and these otherwise-undetectable particles could be shrinking the densest stars in the universe, turning them into black holes.
We may have found the most powerful particle accelerator in the galaxy
By Paul Sutter published
Astronomers have long wondered where high-energy cosmic rays come from within our galaxy. And now, new observations reveal an unlikely candidate: an otherwise mundane giant molecular cloud.
Mysterious 'kick' just after the Big Bang may have created dark matter
By Paul Sutter published
A mysterious "kick" in the early universe may have produced more matter than antimatter. And that imbalance may have also led to the creation of dark matter, researchers now say.
Prebiotic ingredients for life found around young star
By Paul Sutter published
Where did the ingredients for life on Earth come from? A team of astronomers has found a crucial new link: the observation of essential "prebiotic" molecules around a still-forming star.
How do stars die?
By Paul Sutter published
Surprisingly, the fate of a star is easy to predict. All you need to know is how big it is.
'Bumblebee gravity' could explain why the universe is expanding so quickly
By Paul Sutter published
Bumblebee gravity could explain dark energy — if it's proven true.
Why astronomy remains relevant today
By Paul Sutter last updated
The truth is, astronomy remains as real, human and relevant as ever, though the reason why might surprise you.
From squarks to gluinos: It's not looking good for supersymmetry
By Paul Sutter published
According to a recent report, there have been no signs of supersymmetry, and the theory is looking a little shaky.
Are primordial black holes really giant gravitinos?
By Paul Sutter published
New research proposes that the first black holes came from clumps of gravitinos, exotic, hypothetical particles that managed to survive the first chaotic years of the Big Bang.
Did a holographic phase transition in the early universe release gravitational waves?
By Paul Sutter published
A team of physicists recently used a string-theory technique to reveal that we're on the cusp of detecting phase transitions in the early universe through their gravitational wave signature.
Is there more than one dark energy?
By Paul Sutter published
What if there is more than one cosmological agent for dark energy? This mixture would have strange effects in our universe, making it potentially detectable with upcoming surveys.
The surface of the moon is a galactic time capsule
By Paul Sutter published
You wouldn't know it by looking at it, but the moon is a time capsule.
A new particle, the ultralight boson, could swirl around black holes, releasing detectable gravitational waves
By Paul Sutter last updated
A hypothetical particle known as the ultralight boson could be responsible for our universe's dark matter.
World's largest atom smasher could seed microscopic black holes
By Paul Sutter last updated
If teensy black holes could be produced inside the world's largest atom smasher, the Large Hadron Collider, that would be a boon for physics.
Black holes may not exist, but fuzzballs might, wild theory suggests
By Paul Sutter published
What if black holes aren't black holes at all, but rather the cosmic equivalent of fuzzy, vibrating balls of string?
Dangerous 'naked' black holes could be hiding in the universe
By Paul Sutter published
Black holes shorn of event horizons could lurk throughout the universe.
Weird 'gravitational molecules' could orbit black holes like electrons swirling around atoms
By Paul Sutter published
Can the EmDrive actually work for space travel?
By Paul Sutter published
The EmDrive doesn't just violate our fundamental understanding of the universe; the experiments that claim to measure an effect haven't been replicated. When it comes to the EmDrive, keep dreaming.
Distant alien planets could be turned into dark matter detectors
By Paul Sutter published
A pair of astronomers is advocating a daring new research program: to turn our widening search for life beyond Earth into a hunt for dark matter.
Black holes could become massive particle accelerators
By Paul Sutter published
Physicists suggest harnessing the gravitational pull of black holes to create ferocious particle accelerators. The trick? Carefully set everything up so the particles don't get lost forever.
A mini fractal universe may lie inside charged black holes (if they exist)
By Paul Sutter published
In one upside-down, hypothetical version of the universe, a bizarre type of black hole could exist that is stranger than an M.C. Escher sketch: charged black holes.
Black holes so big we don't know how they form could be hiding in the universe
By Paul Sutter published
Black holes can get big … really big. But just how big? It's possible they could top out at over a trillion times more massive than the sun.