Some chemical elements found on earth are also found in outer space. Examples are oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron and aluminum found on the surface of the moon, it was reported Space.com.
Recently, scientists were surprised by the discovery of phosphorus on the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy. Why does this surprise them?
1. Get to know phosphorus more closely
Phosphorus or phosphorus is a chemical element symbolized by the letter P and has the atomic number 15. It is the 11th most common element on earth.
According to Columbia Climate School, phosphorus is important for the formation of DNA, cell membranes, and human bones and teeth. Apart from that, phosphorus is also used as a commercial fertilizer.
Most of the phosphorus used to make fertilizer comes from phosphate rock, a limited resource found in the earth’s crust. Quote Statesman, the country with the largest phosphate rock reserves in the world is Morocco. The amount will be around 50 billion metric tons in 2022.
2. Scientists estimate that phosphorus is created in supernova explosions
CGI illustration of a supernova explosion (commons.wikimedia.org/YouTube MTV International)
Scientists did not expect phosphorus to be found on the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy, exactly 74,000 light years from the “heart” of the galaxy. According to Lucy Ziurys, an astronomer and chemist from Arizona State University and Steward Observatory, it is thought that phosphorus was created in a supernova explosion. And it takes a star whose mass is 20 times greater than the sun for a supernova to occur.
Meanwhile, the location where the phosphorus was discovered is far from massive stars or supernova remnants. So, scientists suspect there is another way to create phosphorus.
One of their theories is neutron capturein which silicon isotopes trap extra neutrons to form phosphorus, was reported Science Alert. This can happen around the core of a star (not necessarily a massive one).
Also read: 5 interesting facts about the Andromeda Galaxy, it has lots of stars!
2023-12-21 22:05:00
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