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Health & Science2h 29m ago
A study published this week in Nature Astronomy concludes that debris is still raining down on Earth more than 100 million years after a giant cosmic explosion.
Pacific Ocean, Canberra
Who
Dr. Dominik Koll, Professor Anton Wallner, Dr. Michael Hotchkis, an international team, HZDR, ANSTO, ANU
What
A study published this week in Nature Astronomy concludes that debris is still raining down on Earth more than 100 million years after a giant cosmic explosion.
When
Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:12:00 GMT · 2h 29m ago
Where
Pacific Ocean, Canberra · 4830m
Why
Measurements of rare isotopes, specifically Pu-244, within a slow-growing ferromanganese crust recovered from the depths of the Pacific Ocean, indicated the continuous influx of plutonium from a cosmic explosion that occurred over 100 million years ago.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This research provides new insights into the origin of heavy elements in the universe, suggesting that neutron star mergers, rather than supernovae, are responsible for a continuous influx of elements like plutonium onto Earth. The findings could also inform future nuclear monitoring efforts.
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