The alchemy of merging neutron stars

For the first time, astronomers have identified a chemical element that was freshly formed by the merging of two neutron stars. The underlying mechanism, called the r-process—also known as rapid neutron capture—is considered to be the origin of large quantities of elements heavier than iron.

Source:
https://phys.org/news/2019-11-alchemy-merging-neutron-stars.html