Do pulsars behave differently under modified gravity theories?

Using a gravity theory that replaces spacetime curvature with 'nonmetricity,' researchers modeled four known pulsars — LMC X-4, SMC X-4, Cen X-3, and Vela X-1 — and confirmed all four stay within the Buchdahl compactness limit, meaning they qualify as stable neutron stars even in this alternative framework. A chi-square test across thirty parameter choices showed model masses match observed values well. The result suggests these pulsars can't easily distinguish between standard general relativity and this particular modification.