Scientists discover second gold source in 2004 flare leftovers.

• Researchers led by Anirudh Patel of Columbia University suggest a new way to produce the element gold.

• The team’s research reveals that the universe may have another method for producing gold, which is currently believed to be produced only in the collisions of ultra-dense neutron stars.

• The discovery helps scientists understand the evolution of the universe’s chemical makeup over time.

• The team reported the first direct observational evidence of r-process nucleosynthesis in a powerful flare emitted by a magnetar in 2004.

• The energy levels in the delayed emission and their changes in time were consistent with the decay signatures of radioactive isotopes rich in neutrons produced in the rapid neutron-capture process.

• The team concluded that 1.9 septillion kg of r-process material ejected at close to the speed of light could explain the delayed emission.

• The authors also suggested that the universe may have had gold atoms sooner since the cosmos could have had magnetars before colliding neutron stars.