Cosmic Alchemy: How Neutron Star Smash-Ups Forge Heavy Atoms

The source of about half of the heaviest elements in the Universe has been a mystery for a long time. Although the general picture of element formation is well understood, many questions about the astrophysical details remain to be answered. The key may lie in the collision of neutron stars - violent, energetic, and unusual events that we are now beginning to observe. This talk will focus on recent advances in our understanding of the origin of the heaviest and rarest elements in the Universe.

Speaker: Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, UC Santa Cruz