The precursors of heavy elements might arise in the plasma underbellies of swollen stars or in smoldering stellar corpses.

An atom consists of a heavy center, called the nucleus, made of particles called protons and neutrons. An atom has lighter ...

Many heavy atoms form from a supernova explosion, the remnants of which are shown in this image. NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage ...

Hydrogen fusion works in the opposite way by forming “paperbag” nuclei out of smaller units. Deuterium (heavy hydrogen), for instance, has one proton and one neutron in its nucleus.

Even when they are in their lowest possible electronic energy level (i.e., the electron's ground state), these two nuclei can still rotate and vibrate, producing a wide range of rovibrational states.

When two hydrogen nuclei are close, even for this short duration, Gregori said, "the strong but short-range attractive nuclear force dominates over the tendency of like charges to repel, ...

Hydrogen atoms are heated to extreme temperatures in the sun and other stars, forming a plasma which allows the hydrogen nuclei (protons) to collide at high speeds.

NASA says the Sun is a huge ball of hydrogen and helium held together by its own gravity. There is no oxygen, so the sun is not really on fire! If you look at pictures of the sun, it can look like ...