Astronomers Detect Tellurium, Other Heavy Metals in Second-Brightest Supernova Sparked by Neutron Stars Collision

Discovery made by international team of astronomers, using multiple telescopes including NASA's James Webb Space Telescope; find paves way for understanding formation of heavy elements crucial for life on Earth.

A team of international astronomers detected tellurium and signs of other heavy metals in the aftermath of the second-brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB), traced back to a merger of two neutron stars 900 million light years away from Earth.
The detection of the GRB was possible due to collective efforts of multiple telescopes, including NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the TESS satellite, and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile.
The neutron stars' merger likely churned up elements such as iodine, crucial for life on Earth, and released enough tellurium to equal the mass of 300 Earths.
The partnering neutron stars were believed to have been banished from their original galaxy and traveled about 120,000 light-years before eventually merging several hundred million years later.
This discovery offers significant insights into the formation of heavy elements in the universe, potentially paving the way for understanding the origins of life-sustaining elements here on Earth.