Researchers from IIT Guwahati and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have made a surprising discovery that could reshape our understanding of X-ray pulsars. They found that the X-rays emitted by Swift J0243.6+6124, the first known Galactic Ultraluminous X-ray Pulsar, exhibit an unexpectedly low level of polarization. This pulsar, which is located within our galaxy, shows only 3 percent polarization in its X-rays, a figure that is significantly lower than what current theories predict. Unveiling the Mystery of Swift J0243.6+6124 Swift J0243.6+6124 was first identified during an intense X-ray outburst in 2017–2018 by NASA’s Swift spacecraft. Since then, it has become a key subject of study for astronomers trying to understand the nature of ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs). ULXs are typically associated with intermediate-mass black holes, but some, like Swift J0243.6+6124, are believed to be pulsars. Pulsars are a type of neutron star, which are the remnants of massive stars that have collapsed under their own gravity. These objects are incredibly dense, with a mass similar to that of the sun, but compressed into a …