Chapter 4 Summary

     Sam Kean discusses in Chapter 4 the creation of the universe and how consequently we came to be. He discusses that the universe was made 14 billion years ago with earth being around 4.55 billion years old. He also briefly mentions how stars, young and old, burn up elements such as hydrogen and helium. The elements are burned up until iron. Kean also mentions many planets such as Jupiter which contains 90% hydrogen and 10% helium. Jupiter is made of elements in different quantities and forms. Kean discusses how Jupiter is failed star which is why it contains such elements. He goes on to talk about the reason why elements are named after planets and how every element except hydrogen and helium are insignificant and irrelevant because they play no major role in space.
    Like many scientists, Clair Patterson wanted to uncover the age of the earth and knew exactly how to do that. Clair Patterson used lead broken down with uranium to see the age of the earth. Since there wasn't exactly much lead that was untouched by humans, Patterson knew that meteors had lead untouched by Uranium instead. Scientist basically analyzed the amount of a particular element in the earth's crust and how long it has been there. Kean also spoke about how the earth must have been bombarded with outside debris at certain points in time, even annihilating 99% of animals living on earth in the Yucatan Meteor. Kean's chapter 4 mainly mentioned how elements correspond to the elements today.