Supernovas forge elements heavier than iron
Supernovas, the universe's most powerful explosions, forge all elements heavier than iron, from gold to uranium, making them essential for planets, technology, and life itself.
Massive stars end their lives in spectacular supernova explosions, creating elements heavier than iron. While stars fuse lighter elements like carbon and oxygen, they can't sustain the energy needed to make anything beyond iron. Supernovas provide the extreme conditions, like intense shockwaves, to rapidly build heavier atomic nuclei through a process called the r-process.
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