High-energy neutrinos may come from black holes ripping apart stars

Evidence builds that tidal disruption events send the subatomic particles zipping through space

illustration of a tidal disruption event

In a tidal disruption event, a supermassive black hole shreds a star that ventures too close (illustrated). Such events may also spit out high-energy neutrinos.

C. Carreau/ESA

When a star gets too close to a black hole, sparks fly.