“We are made of star stuff”
Bringing the stars into the laboratory to understand the origin of the elements

What Carl Sagan meant when he said, “We are made of star stuff”, is that every single atom of elements heavier than lithium – like the oxygen we breathe and the carbon that makes up our bodies – was created during the life and death of stars. Within the periodic table, we have a good understanding of how the elements from hydrogen to iron are produced, but the details of how the elements from iron to uranium came to be are still shrouded in mystery.

Discover how TRIUMF - Canada's particle accelerator centre, located on the southern end of UBC's Point Grey campus - has evolved over its 50-year history, from corralling stellar explosions to tuning into neutron-star collisions, to become a Canadian pioneer in studying the atomic nuclei and galactic events that give rise to the stardust we are all made of.

This lecture is presented in partnership by TRIUMF and Science World as part of the TRIUMF 50th Anniversary Unveiling the Universe Lecture Series.