Scientists discovered 10 million-year-old kilonova remnants underwater

Scientists have discovered remnants of a massive kilonova at the bottom of the ocean. This explosion happened about 10 million years ago, close to Earth. The find includes radioactive plutonium, which researchers believe is leftover material from this cosmic event. A kilonova occurs when two neutron stars collide. This collision produces heavy elements and releases them into space. Astronomer Brian Fields, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, described our planet as a “supernova graveyard.” He has been studying cosmic debris for many years, and this latest finding shows evidence of an even larger explosion than previous ones. Fields previously identified debris from other supernovae, but the plutonium found is too old to be from those events. Stars that end their lives in supernovae exhaust their nuclear fuel and collapse under their own gravity. The heavier elements are formed during a kilonova through a rapid neutron-capture process. Earth's geology and weather have scattered these remnants, making it difficult to collect. However, Fields notes that the Moon might hold more stable evidence. Since the lunar surface does not experience weather, materials from ancient explosions likely remain where they fell. He hopes that the upcoming Artemis III mission will focus on gathering these samples from the Moon. For those concerned about the plutonium at the ocean’s bottom, there’s no need to worry. It is located deep underwater, far from any swimming or surfing activities.