The Origin of Stars, Planets and Galaxies

Abstract

Our bodies are made up from about 10²⁸ different molecules which are themselves composed of individual atoms consisting by weight of 65 percent oxygen, 19 percent carbon, 10 percent hydrogen, 3 percent nitrogen and 3 percent everything else. Over half of our body weight is made up of water molecules (H₂O). Since hydrogen is the lightest element, it does not contribute very much to the total body mass of a human being. But if the number of atoms are counted, then 60 percent of the particles in our bodies are actually hydrogen. The hydrogen atoms in the water were made just a few minutes after the beginning of the universe. Thus a large fraction of your body is 13.8 billion years old! The oxygen and the rest of the atoms in our bodies were forged in stars and not just one star—they originated from literally thousands of different stars from all over the galaxy.