Stars begin as giant clouds of gas and dust that pull together through mutual gravity into a dense protostar. At some point, the intense pressure and temperature cause fusion in the star's core, where lighter elements, like hydrogen, are fused into heavier elements, like helium. When the Sun runs out of one type of fuel, it shifts to the next type and begins the process again, with the heaviest stars reaching iron. A new simulation shows a portion of the interior of a star as it completes one of...
Stars begin as giant clouds of gas and dust that pull together through mutual gravity into a dense protostar. At some point, the intense pressure and temperature cause fusion in the star's core, where lighter elements, like hydrogen, are fused into heavier elements, like helium. When the Sun runs out of one type of fuel, it shifts to the next type and begins the process again, with the heaviest stars reaching iron. A new simulation shows a portion of the interior of a star as it completes one of...
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