Sunday, October 23, 2005

We are made of stardust...

My special anniversary issue of Smithsonian magazine came yesterday, featuring people over the years who made and are still making a difference. Margaret Burbidge, astronomer, was one of those people.

I quote: Burbidge and her colleagues had provided a map of the routes by which elements heavier that hydrogen and helium are forged within the fiery bellies of the stars. The calcium in our bones, the iron in our blood, and the oxygen we breathe all came from the ashes of ancient stars, which had either exploded as supernovae or died slowly, releasing their matter into the air.

This was verified both in theory and in laboratory experiments.

We are made of stardust. I find this to be a magical statement!

a newborn
cries in the night
twinkling star

Pris

Read more HERE

8 comments:

Paul said...

Another interesting fact is that the 2000 pounds of internal pressure in our bodies exactly counterbalances the 2000 pounds of earth's atmospheric pressure on us.

Tossed into outer space without a pressurized vehicle or suit, and our bodies would explode.

We are literally, physically, one with the universe.

Pris said...

Isn't it so very nice how it all works together that way??

Pris said...

Hi Renata
Nice to see you again. Which part is terrifying?

mouse said...

And on the scale of things, we are but a spec of dust in all that matters.

Pris said...

so true....

Geoff Sanderson said...

Hi Pris - loved your haiku or short poem or whatever - says a lot in a little space.
As one terrified speck of dust to another, I try not to think too much about either the origins or the infinity of the universe; that way lies madness. Me, I have enough problems paying my grocery bills, without worrying about stardust :-)

Maria Baker said...

Hi, I just wanted to say that I loved this post. What an amazing notion...we are all made of stars! Love it.

Pris said...

I love that, too. It's magical.