Does the birth and aging of a galaxy influence the chemical composition that is available to stars, planets, and living organisms?
It is entirely likely that the binding together of galactic-sized units was a necessary step in building the abundance of heavy elements to the point where the formation of Earth-like worlds and life as we know it became possible. Ices from the C-N-O family of elements and rocks made of silicon, magnesium, and iron group elements are the raw materials for planet formation, and life, at least as we know it, depends critically on the complex chemistry of organic matter compounds built around carbon atoms. We have learned that the lightest chemical elements were synthesized in the Big Bang, but that the heavier elements were made in stars. When the more massive stars exploded as supernovae, they enriched the material out of which subsequent generations of stars would be made with an ever-increasing amount of these heavy elements. The manner in which stars produce new elements from old is one of the great triumphs of science during this century. However, we know relatively little of the ov
Related Questions
- Does the birth and aging of a galaxy influence the chemical composition that is available to stars, planets, and living organisms?
- How chemical composition of food influence the growth of food poisoning bacteria and fungi?
- Does the size of small objects influence chemical reactivity in living systems?
