Massive stars are often found in close pairs, where one star strips mass from the other star. Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser/S.E. de Mink
Massive stars are often found in close pairs, where one star strips mass from the other star. Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser/S.E. de Mink - A new study by astronomers from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA) in Garching, Germany shows that massive stars produce twice as much carbon when they have a binary partner. The scientists base this on new state-of-the-art computer simulations. Their findings are a small but important step towards better understanding the cosmic origin of the elements we are made of. The cosmic origin of carbon, a fundamental building block of life, is still uncertain.
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