Explosive Star Eruptions May Be a Major Source of Gold and Other Heavy Metals, Study Suggests

A new study offers fresh insights into a longstanding cosmic mystery: where do the universe’s heavy metals, such as gold, platinum, and uranium, come from?

Researchers now believe that explosive eruptions from a rare type of neutron star, known as a magnetar, may be a key source.

Published in The Astrophysical Journal, the study suggests that magnetar flares — massive bursts of energy from highly magnetized neutron stars — could forge some of the heaviest elements in the universe. These flares may have played a vital role in enriching the early galaxy with metals critical for planetary formation and life as we know it.

Magnetars are an extreme form of neutron stars, which themselves are the dense remnants left behind after a supernova explosion. Unlike their quieter counterparts, magnetars boast the strongest magnetic fields known in the universe. When these fields break, they can unleash intense gamma ray bursts and eject matter from the star’s surface.

The study’s lead author, Anirudh Patel of Columbia University, explained that for heavy elements to form, conditions must allow for high concentrations of neutrons and protons to collide and bond. Magnetar eruptions appear to meet these criteria, providing a mechanism known as rapid neutron capture, or r-process, to synthesize heavier atomic nuclei.

Although neutron star mergers were previously confirmed as sources of heavy elements — notably following a landmark 2017 observation — such events are infrequent and occur relatively late in the universe’s history. Magnetars, in contrast, may have erupted earlier and more often, possibly accounting for the presence of heavy metals in stars formed in the early galaxy.

The researchers drew parallels between their predictions and data from a 2004 magnetar flare, which released enough energy to disturb Earth’s ionosphere from a distance of 30,000 light-years. Their model closely matched the actual gamma ray readings from that event, supporting the theory that magnetar flares can produce a significant amount of heavy elements — potentially exceeding the mass of Mars in a single eruption.

Astrophysicists not involved in the study, including experts from MIT and the University of Texas at Austin, praised the findings as compelling evidence for a second channel of heavy element creation, alongside neutron star mergers.

The research team estimates that magnetar flares may account for 1% to 10% of the galaxy’s heavy metal content. While neutron star collisions contribute as well, more study is needed to fully account for all heavy elements observed.

Future missions like NASA’s Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI), set to launch in 2027, may allow scientists to more precisely identify the elements produced by such cosmic events.

“This brings us closer to understanding the origins of some of the fundamental building blocks of planets, technology, and life itself,” Patel said.

With input from the Washington Post.