Plutonium Isotopes in Ocean Rock Provide Evidence of Ancient Cosmic Collision
A small lump of rock pulled up from the Pacific Ocean seafloor in 1976 is giving scientists new clues about an ancient cosmic event. More than a hundred million years ago, two neutron stars collided. The resulting energetic kilonova sent a rain of long-lived elements, such as isotopes of plutonium, through space. Eventually, this stellar "debris" settled onto Earth. Some sank to the bottom of the ocean and got incorporated into a chunk of ferromanganese rock. Hidden inside we
A rock sample retrieved from the Pacific Ocean seafloor in 1976 contains plutonium isotopes that serve as strong evidence of a massive cosmic event occurring over a hundred million years ago. Scientists believe these isotopes were created during the collision of two neutron stars, a cataclysmic event known as a kilonova. This event dispersed heavy elements, including plutonium, throughout space. Eventually, this stellar debris settled on Earth, with some fragments sinking to the ocean floor and becoming incorporated into geological formations. The presence and specific isotopes of plutonium within the rock provide crucial data for understanding the origins and timeline of this ancient cosmic merger. This discovery offers a unique geological record of extraterrestrial events.
Plutonium found in ocean rock provides the strongest evidence yet of an ancient neutron star collision, offering insights into cosmic events.
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