Scientists believe that trace elements and perhaps even the essential elements for life appear after a large explosion in space

Your existence is made possible by specific chemical elements. Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, we now know where some of these important elements most likely originate.

Space telescope observations suggest that the elements in question form in surprising ways, specifically during massive explosions in space. This can be read in the magazine nature.

Neutron star collision
Scientists came to this conclusion after observing such a massive explosion with the help of ground-based and space telescopes, including James Webb. The explosion was likely the result of a collision between two neutron stars and was accompanied by one of the brightest gamma-ray bursts ever seen by scientists. “Gamma bursts are caused by powerful jets that move at nearly the speed of light,” says researcher Ben Gompertz. “In this case, those jet streams were powered by a collision between two neutron stars. Those stars had been clumping together for billions of years before they collided and produced the gamma-ray burst we saw in March of this year.”

Tellurium and iodine
Using various telescopes, scientists observed the effects of this explosion. They thus discovered, among other things, the heavy element tellurium. Other heavy elements very close to tellurium in the periodic table were also likely formed during the explosion. This includes iodine. A very important element of life as we know it. But it is also possible that thorium saw the light of day thanks to the explosion.

Evidence was difficult to find
Scientists have long suspected that the merger of neutron stars provides an ideal environment for the formation of rare elements much heavier than iron. But proving that this is actually the case has proven difficult. This is primarily because kilonovas – the name given to explosions that occur when two neutron stars merge – are very rare. Obviously, this makes it very difficult to watch. In addition, the gamma ray bursts that can occur during such an explosion and can alert us to such an explosion usually last less than two seconds.

Long flash
But in March of this year, scientists got lucky. Because two colliding neutron stars produced not only an exceptionally bright explosion, but also a long-lasting gamma-ray burst. The flash – called GRB 230307A – managed to last for 200 seconds. After the first detection of a gamma-ray burst, astronomers immediately focused a wide range of telescopes on it, including the James Webb. Using a highly sensitive infrared telescope, researchers were able to determine the location of the massive explosion and study its consequences in some detail. It is thanks in part to James Webb that scientists can now deduce that tellurium – an element that is rarer here on Earth than platinum – is produced by neutron star collisions. Hints of other elements, such as rare earth elements, have also been observed.

Thanks web
“We only know of a few kilonovas, and this is the first time we’ve been able to look at the effects of a kilonova using the James Webb Space Telescope,” researcher Andrew Levan said. “Just over 150 years after Dmitri Mendeleev wrote the periodic table, we are finally able to add the last of the missing information about the origins of some elements, all thanks to the James Webb Telescope.” Colleague Samantha Oates agrees: “A few years ago, discoveries like this would have been unimaginable, but thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope we can observe these mergers (between neutron stars, ed.) in great detail.”

Obviously, feedback is very valuable. But a lot awaits us, as astronomers promise. “Until recently, we thought that mergers (between neutron stars, ed.) could not lead to gamma-ray bursts lasting longer than two seconds,” Gompertz says. “Our next task now is to find more of these long-lasting flashes and get a better idea of ​​the driving forces behind them and determine whether they might be producing heavier elements.”