Making All the Gold in the Universe
Neutron star collisions were thought to make much of the gold in the Universe, but something else is making a lot of the precious metal…
In 2017, astronomers witnessed a collision between two neutron stars — the ultradense corpses of massive stars. Analysis seemed to reveal the formation of all elements heavier than iron — including gold — are forged in these titanic collisions.
A new study shows these collisions can not deliver anywhere near enough gold to account for the concentrations we see around the Cosmos.
“Neutron star mergers did not produce enough heavy elements in the early life of the Universe, and they still don’t now, 14 billion years later,” said astrophysicist Amanda Karakas of Monash University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) in Australia.
Runnin’ on Empty
When atoms first formed after the Big Bang, only hydrogen and helium (together with a smattering of lithium) was produced. Everything else was forged in the nuclear furnaces of massive stars, or in the titanic explosions of stellar supernovae.
Stars like the Sun spend most of their lives balanced between gravitational forces pulling the body inward and the outward push of thermonuclear reactions at its core.
