Are we essentially made from star dust?
I watched the documentary narrated by Will Smith called, “One Strange Rock” and it often noted that we, humans, are essentially made from exploding stars (star dust).
Do you have scientific evidence or date that shows our origins are from stars?
Answers ( 1 )
Stars are formed when there is so much gravity in a small area, that matter within that area collapses with enough pressure to initiate nuclear fusion. Those reactions cause the hydrogen there to fuse into helium. Eventually, the hydrogen runs out, and the helium fuses into carbon. And on up on periodic table.
The only known natural mechanism to create elements heavier than helium is wihtin stars. In that way, the oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen -- and to a lesser extent the bits of iron to make hemoglobin -- within us had to have come from stars.
That's why you frequently hear "we are stardust," incuding in that documentary.
Here's a nice video that covers some scientific research on how carbon and water can survive interstellar space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL8JwFj-wgU&feature=youtu.be