Origin of The Elements

The elements are the basic substances from which everything else in the universe is made. They come in a vast array of types and sizes, from the tiny atoms that make up molecules to the enormous stars that light up the cosmos. The ways in which the elements are combined and used determine the nature of everything else in our world: the objects we use and the buildings we live in, the foods we eat, the medicines we take, the fuel we use for power, the technologies that shape our lives. The elements have been used for thousands of years: first for basic survival, then for comfort, and now for luxury.

There are a wide range of elements in the universe, from the simplest such as hydrogen and helium to the most complex such as uranium and plutonium. All of these elements were formed in the Big Bang, the event that formed our universe. Some of them were formed in stars and supernovas, and some of them were formed when stars died and turned into black holes.

In this series of lessons I will explain where the elements came from according to the scientific view.