Researchers at MIT and Cal Tech, along with the help of dozens of astrophysicists from around the globe, have concluding decades long testing of kilonovas, the phenomena of black holes exploding in space.
The research confirmed the theory that 130 million years ago the force of stars colliding created a nuclear reaction that showered the earth with gold and other heavy elements such as silver, platinum, palladium and uranium.
While many believed this to be the case, the research wasn't conclusive until this week. The reason these elements are so rare on earth is because kilonovas themselves are extremely rare occurrences.
Researchers were finally able to view a kilonova and the data confirmed what scientists had hypothesised previously about the origin of precious metals on earth. The elements can be found in space but it is thought as rare as they are on this planet they're even more scarce in space.
Now when I'm staring at gold and silver I have a new appreciation for the shiny metals. To think of the incredible forces needed to create them is just mind boggling!
I hope you enjoyed this little bit of information. Here's a more detailed report of the studies here courtesy of The Telegraph..
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