Sat May 10 00:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Magnetars May Be Another Source of Gold, Study Suggests
**CHENNAI, INDIA – May 10, 2025** – A new study published in *The Astrophysical Journal Letters* challenges the long-held belief that gold is primarily produced during the collision of neutron stars. Researchers led by Anirudh Patel of Columbia University have found evidence suggesting magnetars, a type of neutron star with extremely strong magnetic fields, may also be a significant source of the precious metal.
The team analyzed data from a 2004 magnetar flare recorded by NASA’s Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. They observed a delayed gamma-ray emission inconsistent with typical flare afterglows. This delayed emission, the researchers argue, is consistent with the radioactive decay of neutron-rich isotopes created through a process called r-process nucleosynthesis. Their models suggest that a substantial amount of r-process material – approximately 1.9 septillion kilograms – was ejected from the magnetar at near light speed.
This discovery implies that some magnetar flares can create heavy elements like gold through r-process nucleosynthesis. While neutron star mergers have been considered the primary source of gold, this research suggests magnetars may have contributed to the universe’s gold supply earlier in its history, potentially preceding the formation of colliding neutron stars.
The researchers carefully considered and ruled out alternative explanations, such as instrument errors, through detailed simulations and comparisons with other data. This finding significantly impacts our understanding of the universe’s chemical evolution and the origins of heavy elements.
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