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The concept of the "neutron star" was a baseless invention. It was proposed because only such a dense material could make up a star that could stand those outrageously high rotation speeds.

But, one of the basic rules of nuclear chemistry is the "zone of stability". This is the observation that if we add neutrons to the nucleus of any atom, we need to add an almost proportional number of protons (and their accompanying electrons) to maintain a stable nucleus. In fact, it seems that when we consider all the natural elements (and the heavy man made elements as well), there is a requirement that in order to hold a group of neutrons together in a nucleus, a certain number of proton-electron pairs are required.

The stable nuclei of the lighter elements contain approximately equal numbers of neutrons and protons, a neutron/proton ratio of 1. The heavier nuclei contain a few more neutrons than protons, but the limit seems to be 1.5 neutrons per proton. Nuclei that differ significantly from this ratio SPONTANEOUSLY UNDERGO RADIOACTIVE TRANSFORMATIONS that tend to bring their compositions into or closer to this ratio.

Flying in the face of this fact, mainstream astrophysicists continue to postulate the existence of stars made up of solid material consisting only of neutrons, "Neutronium". This is yet one more example of Fairie Dust entities fantasized by astrophysicists to explain otherwise inexplicable observations. The "neutron star" is simply yet another fantasy conjured up, this time, in order to avoid confronting the idea that pulsar discharges are electrical phenomena. A proton-free nucleus or "charge free" atom made up of only neutrons has never been synthesized in any laboratory nor can it ever be. In fact, a web search on the word "neutronium" will produce only references to a computer game not to any real, scientific discussion or description. Lone neutrons decay into proton - electron pairs in less than 14 minutes; atom-like collections of two or more neutrons will fly apart almost instantaneously.

That astrophysicists feel free to postulate and then quickly accept as fact the existence of such preposterous entities provides deep insight into the present state of their science.

 

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