Astronomy
The Nucleosynthesis of Heavy Elements in Neutron Star Merger Kilonovae
Quick fact
In 2017, the merger of two neutron stars (event GW170817) produced a kilonova that alone forged more gold and platinum than the mass of the Earth, confirming a long-standing theory about the origin of heavy elements.
Why this is interesting
That gold ring on your finger? It might have been forged in a cosmic collision that happened billions of years ago. How can a catastrophic event create the heavy elements that surround us today?