Overview

• Researchers have identified magnetar giant flares as a second direct source of heavy elements, alongside neutron star mergers.
• The 2004 magnetar flare from SGR 1806–20 produced heavy elements equivalent to a third of Earth's mass, including gold and platinum.
• Magnetar starquakes eject neutron-rich material, enabling rapid neutron capture (r-process) to form heavy elements.
• This discovery suggests magnetar flares may have seeded the early universe with heavy elements before neutron star mergers became prevalent.
• The study, published in *The Astrophysical Journal Letters*, estimates magnetar flares could account for up to 10% of the Milky Way's heavy elements.