How gold is created, apparently...

Mel Padden

Neutron stars shower gold on universe in big bang, felt on Earth as 100-second grav wave • The Register[^] Scroll halfway down to the GIF of two stars colliding; coolest thing I've seen in ages.

One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know.

CodeWraith

The supernovae that formed the two neutron stars probably formed a good portion of heavy elements as well and distributed them in space.

I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.

Dan Neely

Some, probably yes; but most of the heaviest, probably not. Getting the biggest atoms out of supernova's in anything approaching the needed amounts had always been iffy (just not enough time to jam that many neutrons in); leaving NS collisions as a more attractive source. But until a few months ago we'd never been able to detect one. Now we have, and it produced enough that if estimates of how common they are are also correct (we should have a reasonable handle on this number in a few more years), that they've produced most of it.

Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt

Lost User

methinks I'll stick to alchemy, from the description banging neutron stars together would be somewhat unsafe.

Installing Signature... Do not switch off your computer.

CodeWraith

Unsafe why? Smash two neutron stars together and you just get a fat neutron star, right? :-)

I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.

Gary Wheeler

CodeWraith wrote:

I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats

:thumbsup::cool:

Software Zen: delete this;