Did you know that the periodic table of the elements is universal?

First proposed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869, the periodic table of the elements has been deemed not only valid on Earth, but throughout the universe.

Using techniques involving the analysis of an object’s light, scientists are able to reveal its chemical composition. This allows them to determine the chemical composition of the most distant objects in the universe, as well as the strangest objects on Earth. By using these techniques, specifically light spectroscopy, scientists determined the chemical composition of the sun and that the atmosphere of Venus has a rich abundance of greenhouse gases.

This phenomenon raises some important questions. Why is the entire universe composed of the same elements, and how did these elements come to be?

An element is composed of positively charged protons, neutral neutrons, and negatively charged electrons. The combination of these particles gives rise to elements. The periodic table starts with lighter elements such as hydrogen, with one proton and one electron, and concludes with the heavier elements. While lighter elements usually combine to make heavier elements, these reactions require massive amounts of energy in the form of heat, as well as large compression forces. Luckily, the universe is rich in regions with these specifications, specifically the cores of stars.

Stars produce their energy from the nuclear fusion of elements. On the surface of stars, smaller chemical elements, such as hydrogen and helium combine to make other elements. However, it is only in the core of stars that great heat and compression forces are available to make even heavier elements, like carbon.

When a star dies, it explodes. All the elements inside of that star are now released into the universe in the form of debris. This debris condenses over time to make new stars and planets. The debris that gave rise to our planet was rich in these elements. If it hadn’t been, life as we know it wouldn’t have emerged on Earth. In other words, we are all made out of star debris that is millions of years old.