How stars end their lives
History written in the night sky
The cosmic recycling centers
The bizarre remnants left behind
YOUR GOAL
Master of The violent deaths of stars
artiteacher The cosmic recycling centers
We came from a supernova blast! (Oh-oh, we're made of stars!)
artiteacher Heavy elements like gold, platinum, and uranium are created during the extreme collisions of dead stars.
artiteacher Stars can easily fuse light elements, but fusing iron absorbs energy rather than releasing it, triggering a collapse.
artiteacher Pop collapsing stars at the perfect time to discover how supernovae scatter cosmic stardust.
Stardust bodies: Every single atom of iron in your blood was forged inside a dying star billions of years ago.
A diffuse cloud of interstellar gas and dust in outer space. Chinese astronomers in 1054 documented the stellar explosion that created the expanding Crab Nebula.
Where did the calcium in your bones and the iron in your blood originally come from?
Which elements were the only ones created during the Big Bang, before stars made the rest?
What cosmic event is primarily responsible for creating heavy metals like gold and platinum?
What is the name of the process where atomic nuclei rapidly capture neutrons to create heavy elements?