How to make gold and silver? The long-sought-after answer to this question remains one of the most challenging open problems that ties together nuclear physics with astronomy. Heavy elements like gold and silver are produced in the so-called rapid neutron-capture (r)-process. This process only occurs in rare explosive events in the Universe, like supernovae (SNe) and neutron star mergers (NSMs), making it hard for astronomers to gather direct observations of the element creation.

The meeting brings together researchers in astrophysics and nuclear physics to build collaborations, share ideas and report exciting new developments.

The 2026 meeting will be hosted May 18th-22nd on the campus of Texas A&M University - College Station in the Department of Physics & Astronomy.

The aim of the conference is to bring together researchers interested in the significant role radioactive nuclei play in the cosmos and particularly with respect to questions in astrophysics.  The scientific program will cover topics related to the role of radioactivity within galactic chemical evolution, cosmochemistry, the origin of elements, and multi-messenger astronomy.