“We are literally the ashes of long dead stars” said Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees. But what does that mean?
I apologise now, I’m going to get technical and anyone who has done chemistry will recognise this, if you hated it you will groan:

Yup, it’s the periodic table… with a difference.This picture of the periodic table (from Wikipedia) shows the elements, but highligted by their process of creation.
I’m going to take two examples, firstly Carbon (C- Top right ), important to us as we are Carbon based life forms. The highlight shows us that this was formed as part of the process of a star living and dying. The next one is Gold (Au – third line from the bottom, somewhere in the middle) this element is created then two neutron stars collide or when low mass stars die .
Just stop for one minute… think about it. Now stop before your brain implodes like mine just did. WTF?!!? The atoms that formed me came from a star that was dying and giving off carbon, I came from a star like Betelguese.
The ring on my finger, the metal used to make it was flung from a dying star as it tore itself to pieces. Or when two neutron stars collided (or when a star explodes apparently)in a process that if I was there (I couldn’t but bear with me on this) would have destroyed me completely and utterly into component atoms and then destroyed them… If the gold on my ring could tell a story, what would it tell me? It’s so incredible that it’s almost beyond comprehension.
One of my favourite comedy’s Blackadder had an episode where Lord Percy tryed out some alchemy to make dold and ended up making green…
Bless him… not even he could comprehend that in order to succeed he would have to destroy the Earth and the solar system to make gold. I hope I haven’t mangled your brains too much, but I really had to share this.
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That’s a pretty cool concept to think that all matter is created from the ashes of stars ….. from dust to dust takes on a new meaning doesn’t it? But then to create one has to destroy so I suppose it is only natural that all metals in the periodic table have their origin in some cosmic destruction…..WOW!
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We are indeed stardust … tarnished a bit perhaps.
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All this and Blackadder too!
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Totally! No other way to be 🙂
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I learned something new – thanks for sharing! Diamonds are a girl’s best friend right?😆
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That’s what I’ve been told. I was amazed at what I learned in this.
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👍
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I always felt like a star 😀 Happy Pawkisses for the day 🙂 ❤
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Make sure you you curl up somewhere warm , it’s getting cold.
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That… Or, in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
😀
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Yes, totally agree, im not a disbeliever and the great thing is that if thats someones belief it doesn’t contradict that. ☺
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I learned about this during the summer, and it took some getting my head around. But i now find it really fascinating. Everything is stardust. )
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When you think about it, it just mindbending. Thanks for the comment ☺
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Right up my alley, friend. I’ve often mused on the same thread of thought. Love it 🙂
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Hey you! Thanks so much :-)))
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Hey you! You’re welcome 🙂
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Lol, its judt ive not seen you for what seemd like ages 😀
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I know, I’ve been busy in the “real world” lately. And only on WordPress to post and for quick reading and “likes”when I can. Hope you’re well, have a good holiday, friend!
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Haha! What if Lord Percy had an atom smasher or a cyclotron to help him in this endeavor? Science has made many advances since Lord Percy’s time based on the clothing. :p
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If Lord Percy had an atom smasher, oh dear me… yikes, we wouldn’t be here now lol 😛
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All of this makes me feel like my problems aren’t real problems. It’s a good thing to feel tiny once in a while. Relieves a lot of pressure and makes you feel like part of a bigger picture, yannow? Maybe I looked too deeply into it. Lol
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What did you look too deeply into? All our problems will end one day, that’s a fact, all of them are short term issues that can be resolved. Yes, I do know yannow lol 😉
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My problems are very small in relation to the cosmos, that’s all. 🙂 Loved your post.
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Thank you, I appreciate that Meghan… I hope your problems never seem too bigh though 🙂
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Thanks! ❤
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I had to read it twice, to be honest… and I skiped that periodic table 😝 But it was really interesting. I know about the originating of diamonds. Now that was really interesting!
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I can’t blame you for skipping the periodic table, to be honest it still baffles me how it works, BUT it’s starting to make more sense now.
I’m glad you found it interesting, I think it’s kind of wow!
The way diamonds is amde is so cool – basically from compressed and heated carbon, so in a way, diamonds and humans share their major chemistry. How’s that for interesting?!?
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It is most intriguing that humans and diamonds have that in common. Yes, diamonds are from a very strong power heated and compressed carbon.
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I knew you were a little diamond 😉
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Awh…. sweet! Thank you, Simon 😃
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☺☺☺
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😊💖
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Awww.. Thanks ❤
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Welcome 😊
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⭐⭐⭐
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