Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh
- John Vassh
- Dec 20, 2023
- 2 min read
Tis the season, as December 2023 draws to a close, we find ourselves reflecting just like many of you. We reflect on what actions, processes, and propositions must remain fundamentally unchanged and which must undergo a state of dynamism. Charting the course by starlight is no simple task, so going into 2024 we wish you joy, prosperity, and health in the coming year. Have yourself a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
Speaking of Christmas time, let’s consider its origin, send the Magi! Gather gold, frankincense, and myrrh to offer once reaching the hallowed journey’s end. Follow the distant light aglow in the sky until locating the chosen child in swaddling clothes. Quite the eleventh-hour request in acquisition, procurement, and logistical transport for these ancient necessities to arrive on cue. So, some of us know where the frankincense and myrrh come from. Hint, they are both harvested from tree tapping and resin collecting in various middle eastern trees. This resinous tree born gift holds medical, historical, and symbolic significance. But where does the gold come from? Before it was dug out of the Earth, a place it wasn’t originally created. Where does it really come from?
Imagine the universe long ago, filled with giant star-babies, ten times bigger than our own Sun. These fiery giants lived fast and died young, burning their fuel like birthday candles in a supernova-filled party. As they partied like it was 1999 (went boom), they scattered elements lighter than iron everywhere, like cosmic confetti, building the first blocks for everything we see.
But the heaviest partygoers on the periodic table, elements like gold, platinum, and uranium, needed a wilder disco. Scientists believe they were brewed in cosmic mosh pits, where neutron stars collided, or supernovae spun at very high velocity. These violent moves flung heavy element confetti out into the universe, making sure your fancy ring and grandma's uranium clock had the stars to thank for their sparkly existence. And guess what? We're even starting to see these cosmic parties with our telescopes, so we can watch the birth of these elements live! So now you know some of the affairs involved for the gifting of gold. Next time you look at the stars, remember they aren't just twinkling lights, they're element-making machines throwing the biggest cosmic rager ever…and you’re invited.
We’d like to thank you the reader, for the privilege of your time. Please enjoy more information on element formation & nucleosynthesis using these additional brief articles of inspiration.
