Scientists are uncovering more about how stars create the elements that form planets, stars, and other celestial objects, as well as how powerful supernova explosions spread these elements across the universe. Two recent studies explore how elements are made during these stellar explosions and how the explosions distribute elements created over a star's lifetime. The first study focused on titanium-44, a radioactive element produced in supernovas that remains detectable long after the explosions have faded. Researchers have now found that these cosmic events produce 35% more titanium-44 than previously thought. This discovery allows scientists to build more accurate computer models of supernovas and compare them with real observations, potentially improving their understanding of how these powerful explosions occur. Christopher Cousins, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Surrey's Nuclear Physics Group, noted that such precise measurements were once thought to be impossible. However, they now offer new insights into major questions in astrophysics, such as how elements are created and spread across the universe. The second study focused on Type I supernovas, which happen when a neutron star — a dense stellar remnant about 12 miles (20 kilometers) wide and with one to two times the mass of the sun — pulls material from a companion star. When this material hits the neutron star's surface, a thermonuclear explosion is triggered, creating heavy elements and releasing significant energy, including X-ray bursts. Researchers at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) in Michigan studied the nuclear reactions that cause these X-ray bursts in greater detail than ever before. Their findings showed that a process called the nickel-copper cycle temporarily holds nuclear material during these explosions, though only in small amounts. This gives a clearer picture of how Type I supernovas unfold. Gavin Lotay of the University of Surrey said that despite decades of research, the nuclear reactions that power some of the universe's most dramatic stellar explosions are still only partially understood. These two studies provide a clearer picture of how these explosions occur, enabling more accurate comparisons between models and actual observations, and advancing the understanding of how chemical elements are created and spread throughout the universe. Both studies were published in the July edition of the journal Physical Review Letters.