From giant star to your necklace: Indian-origin NASA scientist finds a billion-year-old alien connection to gold

A groundbreaking study led by Anirudh Patel suggests that magnetars—rare, highly magnetic neutron stars—played a key role in the formation of gold and other heavy elements in the universe. By re-examining 20-year-old space data, scientists found that intense magnetar flares could have contributed up to 10% of the heavy elements in our galaxy. This discovery opens a new frontier in astrophysics, revealing the cosmic origins of precious metals found on Earth and in modern technology.