Where does gold come from? The possible cradle of gold in the universe is magnetars

A new study shows that eruptions from highly magnetized neutron stars, or magnetars, could have produced up to 10% of the galaxy’s heavy elements like gold, shedding light on a long-standing astrophysics mystery.

Since the Big Bang, the early universe was mainly composed of hydrogen, helium, and a small amount of lithium. However, the formation and distribution of elements heavier than iron, such as gold, remains one of astrophysics’ greatest mysteries.

“This is a fundamental question about the origin of complex matter in the universe,” says Anirudh Patel, a PhD student at Columbia University in New York. His recent study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, reveals that eruptions from highly magnetized neutron stars, known as magnetars, could be responsible for a significant portion of these heavy elements.

What Are Magnetars and How Could They Create Gold?

Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of stars that have exploded. A magnetar is a special type of neutron star with an extremely strong magnetic field. Occasionally, these stars release giant eruptions of high-energy radiation through phenomena called starquakes, which fracture the star’s crust.

These eruptions could explain the formation of heavy elements through a rapid neutron capture process, where atoms absorb neutrons and then transform into heavier elements such as gold or even uranium.

Evidence from Over 20 Years of Archival Data

Patel and his team analyzed NASA and ESA telescope data dating back 20 years. They discovered gamma-ray signals from a giant magnetar eruption in 2004 that matched theoretical models of heavy element formation.

“The study solves a mystery using data that had almost been forgotten,” explains Eric Burns, co-author and researcher at Louisiana State University. These observations suggest that up to 10% of the elements heavier than iron in the galaxy could have formed in magnetars.

Comparison with Neutron Star Mergers

While collisions of two neutron stars can also produce gold and platinum—as confirmed by the 2017 observation—these mergers occur too late in the universe’s history to explain the earliest heavy elements. Thus, magnetar eruptions may have been the early source of gold and other precious metals.

Future Research: Space Telescopes and Missions

NASA’s COSI (Compton Spectrometer and Imager) mission, planned for 2027, will study energetic phenomena like giant magnetar eruptions, allowing scientists to identify the elements created in these events and confirm current theories about gold formation in the cosmos.

“It’s amazing to think that some of the elements in our phones or computers were forged in extreme explosions throughout our galaxy’s history,” concludes Patel.