(Ron) wrote in message . com...
Contact: James Hathaway

480-965-6375
Arizona State University
May 20, 2004


Critical to the team's argument is the recent discovery in meteorites of
patterns of isotopes that can only have been caused by the radioactive decay
of iron-60, an unstable isotope that has a half life of only a million and a
half years. Iron-60 can only be formed in the heart of a massive star and
thus the presence of live iron-60 in the young Solar System provides strong
evidence that when the Sun formed (4.5 billion years ago) a massive star was
nearby.

Elsewhere I read it is nickel-60, decaying from iron-60, that is found
in meteorites on earth. Is this true? Are there any other elements
that would provide the telltale signs of having been formed in massive
stars?

Interesting post - thank you.

Bob Carlson