One of the brightest things in the universe is caused by one of the most powerful explosions in the universe, a supernova.

While they don't appear very often, they were known to ancient peoples and their appearance would often be recorded because there were such a rare and special event.

Today, astrophysicists have a much better understanding of what supernovas are and how they can help us better understand the rest of the universe.

Learn more about supernovas on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. This episode is sponsored by Audible.

My audio book recommendation today is Earth Shattering, violent supernovas,

galactic explosions, biological mayhem, nuclear meltdowns, and other hazards to life in our

universe by Bob Berman. The overwhelming majority of celestial space is

inactive and will remain forever unruffled. But when cosmic violence does unfold,

it changes the very fabric of the universe with mega explosions and ripple effects that reach the near limits of human comprehension.

In Earth Shattering, Astronomy writer Bob Berman guides us through an epic investigation into these instances of violence, both mammoth and

microscopic.

From the sudden creation of dazzling new stars to the furiously explosive birth of our moon,

from the uncontrollable truth about ultra-high energy

cosmic rays bombarding us to the incredible ways in which humanity has

harnessed cataclysmic energy for its gain. You can get a free one month

trial to audible and two free audio books by going to

Audible Trial.com slash everything everywhere or by clicking on the link in the

show notes.

Supernovas when they occur in our galaxy, are so bright that they can often be seen in the sky in the middle of the day.

They don't happen that often, however. Centuries or even millennia can pass between a

supernova which can be visible with the naked eye from Earth. Astronomers have

detected the remnants of a supernova in the constellation Vela which

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