Flash Facts: Expansion Speed

According to New Scientist, a team of scientists has been able to successfully track matter moving through space at 99.999% the speed of light. It has been predicted that the collapse of a star and the subsequent formation of a black hole or neutron star could accelerate matter to nearly the speed of light--matter from the collapsing star would explode outward at super speed, accompanied by gamma rays and other radiation. Using a robotic infrared telescope in Chile dubbed the Rapid Eye Mount, that theory has now been proven. "Now, rapid follow-up measurements of two gamma-ray bursts have allowed a team of scientists to precisely measure the expansion speed of matter in these explosion to more than 99.999% the speed of light."