Heavy Metal Starstuff and Cosmic Evolution

As we have seen several times, it is important to define your terms in certain discussion. In this case, the word metal means something different to astronomers than to us reg'lar folk. For them, it is an element more dense than hydrogen and helium. The terms heavy metal or heavy element are not defined consistently.

RCW 86 supernova remnant enhanced image credit: NASA / ESA / JPL-Caltech  / UCLA / CXC / SAO
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According to Big Bang mythology, that event produced hydrogen, helium, and some lithium. Then stellar fusion produced some of the lighter metals. To rock on to the heavy metals, however, requires supernovas and even kilonovas. Cosmologists deny recent creation and keep digging themselves in deeper because they cannot explain the abundance of useful elements on Earth. They also have other problems that are conveniently ignored. Stuff happens is an accurate summary of "scientific explanations" presented to uphold their presuppositions — even when some admit they have no real clue as to what's going on out yonder.

Elements heavier than iron form in supernova explosions. End of story. We can all rest now. But wait…

The origin of heavy elements via supernovas is one of those facts everybody learns without question. Astronomers say so in textbooks, on TV and in science media without any qualification, like “scientists believe” or “scientists think” it is so. It just is so, we are told. It led Carl Sagan and many of his disciples to quote, “We are made of starstuff.” Stuff happens, and this stuff exploded out of stars. Some of the stuff you might want to gather though; it includes gold and platinum.

To finish reading, click on "How Well Do Astrophysicists Understand the Origin of Heavy Elements?"





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