In the week when the price of the precious metal palladium reached $1000 per ounce it was interesting to see that the problem as to how precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium were first formed has finally been solved.

At a press conference on 16 October 2017 scientists gathered together to announce the results of their findings following a kilonova explosion caused by two neutron stars colliding 130 million years ago in the distant gallery NGC4993. This is the first time that such a collision has been observed, recorded and analysed. Not only does the collision provide evidence for the existence of gravitational waves which were first predicted by Einstein but it also provides the evidence for how the heavy metal elements in the universe were formed.

It is well worth watching the video on this produced by Professor Laura Cadonati from Georgia Tech.