The enduring mystery of how gold – a metal of immense cultural and economic value in Thailand and around the world – originated in the universe may be a step closer to resolution, as new astrophysical research points to an unexpected cosmic source. According to a recent study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, highly magnetised neutron stars known as magnetars may play a critical role in producing not only gold but a slew of other heavy elements vital to the fabric of the cosmos. This finding reshapes long-held views on the cosmic manufacture of these elements, presenting a breakthrough that ripples from the farthest reaches of space into the heart of Bangkok’s bustling gold markets and beyond (Al Jazeera).
For decades, astronomers have been searching for the answer to a deceptively simple question: where does gold come from? Unlike lighter elements, which are formed in the nuclear furnaces of ordinary stars, elements heavier than iron – gold included – require more violent cosmic events for their synthesis. The new research, rigorously analyzing more than 20 years of archival data from NASA and European Space Agency telescopes, suggests that explosions known as “giant flares” from magnetars have seeded the galaxy with these precious elements. According to the study’s principal investigator, a doctoral researcher at a leading American university, “It’s a pretty fundamental question in terms of the origin of complex matter in the universe… It’s a fun puzzle that hasn’t actually been solved.”
Thailand’s fascination with gold is both historical and practical, with the metal serving as a backbone for traditional savings in times of economic instability, as well as a mainstay of cultural ornamentation and religious practice (Bangkok Post). The discovery that the gold in Thai jewelry shops and spirit houses may have its roots in distant cosmic explosions, occurring billions of years before the formation of the Earth, imbues these treasured objects with an even deeper sense of wonder.
The newly released findings expand the scope of possible gold sources in the cosmos. For years, prevailing scientific consensus focused on collisions of neutron stars – ultra-dense celestial remnants that crash together in spectacular kilonova events – as the primary source of gold and similar elements. Indeed, the landmark observation of such a collision in 2017 brought clear evidence that these violent mergers could forge gold, platinum, and uranium (Nature). However, these cataclysmic events are rare, and, as the new paper notes, are believed to have been more frequent later in the universe’s history – long after many stars, and the elements within them, had come into being.
Enter the magnetar: created from the collapsed core of a massive exploded star, a magnetar is a kind of neutron star notable for possessing a magnetic field trillions of times stronger than Earth’s. On rare occasions, the crust of a magnetar is rocked by a “starquake,” analogous to an earthquake but on an astronomical scale. These seismic events can trigger a “magnetar giant flare,” unleashing tremendous quantities of high-energy radiation and, as the new research posits, spewing heavy atomic nuclei into space. The study’s multi-institutional authorship, with contributors from prominent universities in the US and Europe, estimates that such giant flares could contribute up to 10 percent of all heavy elements in the Milky Way that are heavier than iron (The Astrophysical Journal Letters).
Yet, the precise mechanism by which magnetar flares beget gold is still a subject of investigation. The leading hypothesis involves the rapid neutron capture process, or r-process, which occurs at the extraordinary densities present in neutron stars. In these explosive environments, atomic nuclei can absorb neutrons rapidly enough to build up to heavy elements before they have a chance to decay. “If a neutron star is disrupted, singular atoms can quickly capture neutrons and undergo multiple decays, forming much heavier elements like gold and uranium,” explained an assistant professor and astrophysicist co-authoring the study, from a prominent American institution.
The excitement around these revelations is palpable in astrophysical circles, but their implications extend to historians, jewelers, and physicists alike in Thailand. In Thai culture, gold not only underpins faith and ceremony – with gold-coated Buddha statues and temple domes glinting under the tropical sun – but also fortifies family fortunes. The notion that this gold propagated through the cosmos via eruptions from magnetars shortly after the universe’s birth, roughly 13.6 billion years ago, forges a poetic linkage between the cosmic and the everyday.
Still, further confirmation is required. Upcoming missions such as NASA’s Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI), scheduled to launch in 2027, are designed specifically to study phenomena like magnetar giant flares. COSI’s sensitive gamma-ray detectors may, for the first time, directly identify the signatures of individual elements cast out by these explosive outbursts. The results could confirm whether magnetars are truly cosmic forges of gold, or whether other mechanisms are also at play (NASA COSI Mission).
For Thailand, these revelations about the cosmic roots of gold offer fresh meaning to national symbols and personal wealth. At the heart of Bangkok’s Yaowarat gold district, every glistening necklace and bracelet may now be seen as a product of ancient and unfathomable cosmic violence, linking buyers and sellers, monks and laypeople, to the earliest epochs of the universe. This scientific narrative also fosters humility and underscores the interconnectedness of all matter – a value echoed in the Buddhist philosophy deeply ingrained in Thai culture. As a physics lecturer from a leading Thai university commented in a recent interview, “Understanding our connection to the cosmos highlights the unity of science and the timeless wisdom reflected in our narrative traditions.”
Looking ahead, Thai astronomy enthusiasts and educational institutions have a new, inspiring story to anchor curricula and public outreach. Incorporating these findings into science classes, museum exhibitions, or temple talks could deepen public engagement with both global scientific achievement and local heritage. Meanwhile, the international scientific community continues to pulse with anticipation for future data that could further illuminate the cosmic alchemy behind one of Earth’s, and Thailand’s, most treasured metals.
For Thai readers, the new research invites both personal reflection and practical action. Educators are encouraged to weave cutting-edge astrophysics discoveries into lessons to stoke interest in science among youth. Gold entrepreneurs and collectors might take renewed pride in their trade, grounded in its cosmic history. For spiritual seekers, gold relics can now be appreciated as the product not only of earthly labor but also of the universe’s most dramatic forces. And importantly, public support for scientific exploration ensures that Thailand’s future generations remain connected to the astonishing, ever-unfolding story of the universe.
For more on the research and its development, see Al Jazeera’s coverage, the original study in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Nature’s analysis of neutron star collisions, and the NASA COSI Mission announcement.