Prof Nial Tanvir, chair of the governing council of the ENGRAVE
ENGRAVE, a research group, has won DKK 8 million (approximately £940,000) for discovering that the elements that constitute our planet and bodies originate from colossal collisions between the universe’s extreme stars.
Through their research, the team have shown that rare collisions are the cosmic factories of the heavy elements, such as uranium, gold, and platinum, which make up about half of the periodic table.
Sharing his thoughts, Professor Nial Tanvir from the University of Leicester, and chair of the governing council of the ENGRAVE group, said, “The puzzle of the origin of the r-process elements has been one that generations of students have learnt about, and it is fantastic to be part of its solution.
“It is especially great that it has led to the formation of such a dynamic and focused group as ENGRAVE, which is now passing on the challenge of advancing this new field to the next generation of researchers.”
Christina Egelund, the Minister for Higher Education and Science, added, “ENGRAVE shows what can be achieved when researchers across countries and institutions work together to solve the universe’s greatest mysteries.”
