Fascinating, the possibilities for such different patterns/behavior of space+energy+matter at different pressures, temperatures (scales) etc! There is so much left to discover here.

I do love the idea of potential forms of life in the universe that might exist in nearly-incomparable forms to our familiar earth/sun/dna/carbon-etc-based ways. Like organisms made of gas, or light-years-accross, or at a million-times the pressure/temperature.. could any type of life ever exist in or on a star or black hole? (there was a recent HN post about 10^30 micro-organisms that are likely living off radiation-based splitting of water in the rock deep underground, kinda suggests life will go anywhere that it can!)

I also hugely enjoyed this related detour I found when I looked up something mentioned in the article: 'Black Hot Ice' (Ice XVIII)', a newly discovered state of matter! (surely been submitted to HN already I expect)

https://www.quantamagazine.org/black-hot-superionic-ice-may-...