Unraveling the Nuclear Equation of State in the Multi-messenger Era*

Two of the fundamental questions animating nuclear science are: “How did the Universe create the chemical elements we are made of?” and “How does subatomic matter organize itself?” The importance of answering these question was reaffirmed in the 2023 Long Range Plan for Nuclear Science. The historical detection of gravitational waves from the binary neutron star merger GW170817 is providing critical new insights into the astrophysical site for the creation of the heaviest elements in the cosmos and on the structure of neutron stars. Since then, remarkable progress has also been made in electromagnetic observations of neutron stars together with measurements of the properties of neutron-rich nuclei at terrestrial facilities. It is this unique synergy between heaven and earth that will be the focus of this presentation.