Astronomy
How Gravitational Waves from Neutron Star Mergers Forge Heavy Elements
Quick fact
The first neutron star merger ever detected, GW170817, produced an estimated 100-200 Earth masses of gold and 500 Earth masses of platinum. That single event outshone a thousand novae and confirmed the source of the universe's heavy elements.
Why this is interesting
Most of the gold in your jewelry and platinum in electronics were forged in a colossal cosmic collision—a merger of two neutron stars—that also sent ripples through spacetime. How does a single event create both gravitational waves and the heavy elements themselves?