Where do atoms come from?

Note: The graph at 7 mins 44 seconds has the axes labels mixed up! The horizontal axis shows the number of neutrons, and the vertical one the number of protons, not the other way round. Sorry about that!!

Addendum to what I say at 4 mins 20 seconds: Some of the elements heavier than iron are created by also capturing protons.

Where do all the atoms come from? When where they made and how? Is it true that we are all made of "stardust" that supernovae spit out when they die? In this video I will explain where all the chemical elements come from and that recent research points at neutron star mergers as the origin of the heavy ones, not supernovae. I will also tell you what the mythical "island of stability" is.

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The paper I show at 6 mins 37 seconds is this:

#physics #science #education #astrophysics #cosmology

0:00 Intro
0:19 How to make an atom
1:14 Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
2:21 Nuclear Fusion
3:24 Slow Neutron Capture
4:43 Rapid Neutron Capture
6:43 Synthetic Nuclei

[mattbland]

I don’t trust atoms, they make up everything 🤣

[WhoDoUthinkUr]

Thank you so much for your videos. As an middle aged man who never had the resources for an Education I have learned so much. Best thing about YouTube so much to learn.

[DrakiniteOfficial]

One thing that I love about your presentation style is that you demonstrate that you don't need to be super energetic in order to be interesting. Your passion for what you're talking about speaks for itself, and it makes your videos really engaging and interesting to watch.

[seanferguson]

Thank you. This is the first time I've heard a thorough explanation of how heavier elements are created.

[VideosfromNH]

One atom said to another atom, "I think I lost an electron." The second atom asked, "Are you sure?" The first atom replied, "I'm positive."

[IO]

Hydrogen: A colourless reactive gas; which left alone for long enough turns into people.

[adamchurvis]

"Daddy? Where do atoms come from?"
"Son, it's time we had 'The Talk.' You see, when a Proton and a Neutron love each other very, very much, they share a sort of... 'hug...'"

[claaaaams]

Wow. I have to readjust my knowledge. I heard over and over that heavier elements were created in supernovae. Almost religiously. It's a bit weird to hear that's changed now. Thank you

[douglasgranrath]

I just discovered and subscribed to your channel. The level at which you explain physics really works for me. You are providing a very important service by explaining a mathematically heavy subject to the general public. Thanks!

[WistrelChianti]

It was only a few years ago I was in a lecture where they said the heavier elements came from supernovae. The fact that we've since revised that blows my mind. Kinda crazy to think that we are living in a time where we still don't know where stuff around us comes from. Also, reading that abstract... it's just incredible that we not only detected the gravitational wave from a collision, but then were able to actually find it based on that data, and analyse the light coming from it to detect the presence of elements.... amazing!

[Sitarow]

Production quality on this video is great! Thank you for all that you do.

[learningisfun]

Great video. I really enjoy how well Sabine explains the concepts. And that she points out the limits of our understanding and where scientists may disagree.

[PraiseDog]

This is now my favorite youtube channel. She is a really good communicator, I like her presentation. I see that a lot of other people shared my experience with her channel, you have to watch a few of them and then your appreciation level of her really kicks into gear.

[FarnhamJ]

I gotta say, I really love the sounds effects you use. They're kitsch in an great kinda way! The rest of the video is pretty darn good as always too; thanks for making it!

[diqweezle]

My favorite professor! I've noticed you've leveled up your production lately. Loving it. :-)

[srussifordwilliams]

Seriously the only channel on youtube that actually gives you everything you want to know

[brianpj]

Omg, I just got so excited when hearing Sabine say “Island of Stability”

[johnmc]

I love international cooperation! The Detroiter (me), learning about the universe from a German (U), and a Russian (Anton Petrov)!

[raymondwarth]

Thank you for your video. I have been having my 13 year old Grandson watch some of your videos as we study chemistry. Your are very clear and to the point.

[kevinmclin]

That was excellent, Dr. Hossenfelder. It is truly amazing that all the matter we see around us is composed of merely three ingredients, and that nearly all the atoms in the periodic table are created as a result of stars and their evolution. That totally blew my mind when I was ten years old. It still does, almost fifty years later.