An explanation of where the elements come from
I thought this wiki article and periodic table were interesting:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_nucleosynthesis
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Nucleosynthesis_periodic_table.svg
I would have assumed that the heaviest metals came directly from the big bang or from supernovas but no, they come from colliding neutron stars !
And I had heard that iron was the end of the line as far as fusion in a star. Above iron, the fusion process requires external energy to sustain the process rather than giving off surplus energy. And this extra energy comes from an explosion when the star is unable to resist the compressive force of gravity with the outward force of fusion. The star compresses and then explodes creating heavier elements.
Dr. Matt has a video on cosmic nucelosynthesis:
source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yLGeviU8FM
I remember an OTR Sci Fi story, Project Mastodon by Clifford D. Simak on X-1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgzWq-4NngM
Builders of a time machine go back to prehistoric times when there were mastodons and sabre tooth tigers. They also plan to go ever further back in time when the lead deposits in Wisconsin were radioactive ore (still hadn't decayed to lead).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_nucleosynthesis
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Nucleosynthesis_periodic_table.svg
I would have assumed that the heaviest metals came directly from the big bang or from supernovas but no, they come from colliding neutron stars !
And I had heard that iron was the end of the line as far as fusion in a star. Above iron, the fusion process requires external energy to sustain the process rather than giving off surplus energy. And this extra energy comes from an explosion when the star is unable to resist the compressive force of gravity with the outward force of fusion. The star compresses and then explodes creating heavier elements.
Dr. Matt has a video on cosmic nucelosynthesis:
source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yLGeviU8FM
I remember an OTR Sci Fi story, Project Mastodon by Clifford D. Simak on X-1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgzWq-4NngM
Builders of a time machine go back to prehistoric times when there were mastodons and sabre tooth tigers. They also plan to go ever further back in time when the lead deposits in Wisconsin were radioactive ore (still hadn't decayed to lead).
It's a "funny one" rather than a serious one.
There is also the original story:
https://archive.org/details/galaxymagazine-1955-03
I'm not sure on the story's accuracy of the origins of lead deposits though (decaying from uranium), I know there was lead mining in Wisconsin, that's why the badger is the state mascot, because the miners dug like badgers.
Best Regards ,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm
There is also the original story:
https://archive.org/details/galaxymagazine-1955-03
I'm not sure on the story's accuracy of the origins of lead deposits though (decaying from uranium), I know there was lead mining in Wisconsin, that's why the badger is the state mascot, because the miners dug like badgers.
Best Regards ,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm
