Some of the most massive and influential stars in the universe are OB stars. These blue giants, many times more massive than the Sun, are short-lived but powerful forces that shape their surroundings.

Exploding stars in near-solar space may have triggered at least two mass extinction events in Earth’s history. A new study led by astrophysicist Alexis Quintana from the University of Alicante suggests that supernovae—the violent deaths of massive stars—could be responsible for the Late Ordovician and Late Devonian extinction events.