Astrophysicists Unveil Potential Dark Matter Clouds Around Neutron Stars

**Axions** are hypothetical particles proposed as leading candidates to solve the mystery of **dark matter**. These particles are believed to accumulate in dense clouds around **neutron stars** according to recent research by physicists from Amsterdam, Princeton, and Oxford. The study, published in *Physical Review X*, focusses on axions that remain captured by the stars' gravity, potentially forming dense axion clouds. These clouds could emit detectable light signals due to the conversion of axions into photons in the presence of strong magnetic fields. Neutron stars, with their extreme densities and vast magnetic fields, are ideal settings for such phenomena. The research suggests that **axion clouds** should exist around most neutron stars, possibly producing continuous or burst-type emissions that could be observed with existing radio telescopes. Furthermore, the study lays groundwork for future explorations into how these axion clouds might influence neutron star dynamics or alter observable signatures in binary star systems.