The universe is full of mysteries, and one of them is how gold is made. For a long time, scientists thought that gold was created when two superdense stars, called neutron stars, crashed into each other. Now, a new study suggests that gold might also come from a different source: the explosion of a special kind of neutron star called a magnetar.
A Powerful Explosion
Magnetars are neutron stars with incredibly strong magnetic fields. When they experience a kind of “starquake,” they release a huge amount of energy. This energy can blast pieces of the star into space. These pieces can then form heavy elements like gold, platinum, and lead.
The research team, led by Anirudh Patel, a PhD student in physics at Columbia University, looked at old data from NASA and European telescopes. They found that the explosion of a magnetar could create the right conditions for these heavy elements to form.
A New Understanding
The study’s findings are exciting because they offer a new way to understand how gold is made. Until now, scientists thought that gold was mainly created when neutron stars collided. But this new research suggests that magnetars might also play a role.
Eric Burns, an astronomer at Louisiana State University, explains that when a magnetar shakes, it can release pieces of its outer layer at high speeds. This creates an environment where heavy elements like gold can form.
The discovery opens up new possibilities for understanding the origins of gold in the universe. It also raises questions about how much gold is created by magnetars versus neutron star collisions.
The source of this information is CNN.