Enriching the Universe

Red giants and their planetary nebulae are cosmic recycling centers. The material a star ejects during the red giant phase enriches the gas between stars with elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. This enriched gas and dust becomes the raw material for the next generation of stars and planets.

Without this recycling process, the universe would contain only the lightest elements produced in the Big Bang. Every carbon atom in your body, every oxygen atom you breathe, was forged inside a star and released during the red giant phase or a supernova.