Abstract Astrophysical observations give scientists the most essential information about the processes and “rates of production” of elements in nature and their abundance in the Universe. The lightest elements of the Periodic Table—hydrogen, helium, and, partially, lithium—appeared in the first seconds after the birth of the Universe. The first stars “gathered” from them; they enriched the Universe with heavier elements during the evolutionary process, with the participation of which “modern” stars subsequently formed. These stars, in turn, serve as natural factories for the synthesis of heavy elements not only throughout their lives but also during their deaths in supernova outbursts. The recent discovery of the fusion of neutron stars and subsequent studies of their afterglow revealed the features of the formation of superheavy elements in the Universe up to gold and uranium.

中文翻译：

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太空中的化学元素

摘要 天体物理学观测为科学家们提供了关于自然界元素的过程和“生产速率”及其在宇宙中的丰度的最重要信息。元素周期表中最轻的元素——氢、氦和部分锂——出现在宇宙诞生后的第一秒。从他们那里“聚集”了第一批星星；他们在演化过程中用更重的元素丰富了宇宙，随后形成了“现代”恒星的参与。反过来，这些恒星不仅在其一生中，而且在超新星爆发中死亡时，都充当合成重元素的天然工厂。