The Strophysical Journal Letters

NASA

Where Does Gold Come From? NASA Data Has Clues

Since the big bang, the early universe had hydrogen, helium, and a scant amount of lithium. Later, some heavier elements, including iron, were forged in stars. But one of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics is: How did the first elements heavier than iron, such as gold, get created and distributed throughout the universe? “It’s a pretty fundamental question in terms…