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Gold Forged in Colliding Neutron Stars
On the timeline · around throughout cosmic history · The Age of Galaxies
What happened
The heaviest elements — gold, platinum and more — are forged when ultra-dense neutron stars collide. In 2017, astronomers observed such a merger for the first time, detecting both its gravitational waves and the light of the 'kilonova' explosion that builds these elements.
Why it matters
It revealed the cosmic origin of much of the gold and platinum on Earth — literally made in the collisions of dead stars.
How we know
The 2017 event (GW170817) was the first seen in both gravitational waves and light, confirming neutron-star mergers as a source of the heaviest elements.
Sources
- NASA. Stellar Explosions · Reputable source