Stars can burn for billions of years, but all will eventually die. Some, like our sun, will slowly dim to darkness, while others will explode in powerful supernovae, expelling material that go on to form new celestial bodies. Hundreds of supernovae are found yearly, and scientists use their vast remnant clouds to trace our cosmic history. But what triggers such a cataclysmic finale? And what secrets might we uncover in their luminous aftermath?