The merging of two neutron stars has been observed for the first time by measuring both the gravitational waves and the electromagnetic radiation emitted in the event, thanks to the gravitational interferometers LIGO and VIRGO, as well as to several earth and space telescopes.
This extraordinary discovery has involved a very extended scientific community, and italian researchers have contributed to it in an essential way. It opens new exceptional perspectives for our understanding of astrophysics and cosmology, of particle physics and nuclear physics. The involved collaborations have simultaneously published dozens of papers.