Produced by: Manoj Kumar
A study published April 29 reveals that magnetar flares—the universe’s most violent magnetic eruptions—can create precious metals like gold and platinum.
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These neutron stars, with magnetic fields trillions of times stronger than Earth’s, unleash flares that blast heavy-element-rich material into space.
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For only the second time, scientists have direct evidence of how r-process elements form—heavy metals born not just in neutron star mergers, but in flaring magnetars.
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The team linked a 2004 gamma-ray burst from a magnetar to gold and platinum formation, using spectral analysis and energy modeling.
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Unlike the Big Bang’s light-element legacy, heavy elements like uranium need extreme events—supernovae, collisions, and now, flares from magnetized neutron stars.
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Brian Metzger of the Flatiron Institute calls this discovery a “cosmic game-changer”—magnetar flares may account for up to 10% of the galaxy’s gold.
From your phone’s circuit board to wedding rings, much of Earth’s precious metal may have originated in the chaos of dying, magnetic stars.
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The r-process doesn’t just make gold—it also forms elements critical to planetary formation, nuclear power, and possibly, the conditions for life.
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Lead author Anirudh Patel suggests this breakthrough may reshape astrophysics: “It’s wild to think our tech traces back to such extreme places.”
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