Unearthing Ancient Stars: The Discovery of Two Metal-Poor R-Process Enriched Stars

Astronomers discovered two ancient metal-poor stars enriched in r-process elements, shedding light on the origins of heavy elements. BPS CS 29529-0089, an r-II star, likely formed in the Milky Way’s proto-disk, while TYC 9219-2422-1, an r-I star, originated in the Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus merger. Their chemical signatures suggest enrichment by neutron star mergers and possibly a single Population III supernova, challenging existing theories on galactic evolution.