In December 2004, a gamma-ray signal detected during a magnetar flare aligned with predictions regarding heavy element distribution, reinforcing the study's conclusions.

While it is established that neutron star mergers can produce gold and other heavy elements, these events occur too late in cosmic history to explain the earliest formations of such elements.

A groundbreaking study led by Anirudh Patel from Columbia University suggests that gold and other heavy elements may originate from the intense flares of magnetars, which are highly magnetized neutron stars.

Magnetars are known to emit powerful bursts of high-energy radiation during events called 'starquakes,' which can facilitate the rapid neutron capture necessary for the formation of heavier elements.

The researchers hypothesized that the radiation emitted from magnetar giant flares could be directly linked to the formation of heavy elements, offering new insights into their origins.

Neutron stars, formed from the collapsed cores of supernovae, possess extreme density, with just a teaspoon of their material weighing about a billion tons.

Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, this research utilizes 20-year-old archival data from NASA and ESA telescopes, proposing that magnetars could account for up to 10% of the galaxy's heavy elements.

Supporting this hypothesis, data from NASA's RHESSI and Wind missions indicate that magnetar flares can eject neutron star material, thereby contributing to the universe's heavy element abundance.

Looking ahead, the upcoming NASA mission COSI, set to launch in 2027, aims to study magnetar flares in detail and identify individual elements produced during these cosmic events.

Researchers plan to revisit archival data for further insights into the processes behind heavy element creation in magnetars, potentially reshaping our understanding of cosmic element formation.