<p>Every <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table" rel="nofollow noreferrer">element</a> on Earth came from outer space. Apart from hydrogen, which was formed during the Big Bang, every other element was <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/origin-elements" rel="nofollow noreferrer">formed</a> by different types of stars.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The carbon in your body was made by nuclear fusion in the interior of stars, as was the oxygen. Much of the iron in your body was made during supernovas of stars that occurred long ago and far away. The gold in your jewelry was likely made from neutron stars.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The <a href="https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/formation-earth/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Earth</a> and asteroids formed from comic dust produced by exploding stars. Iron wasn't added as a late addition. It was an integral element from the earliest <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth" rel="nofollow noreferrer">formation of the Earth</a>. When life developed on Earth, iron was already present for it to use.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-13T21:01:48.873Z
I thonk you beat me tothe punch with the last paragraph of your answer. Think I should just delete mine?
Oscar Lanzi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-16T16:31:02.843Z
thanks for answering my question
Gokboru Playz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-13T20:52:48.463Z
2023-07-13T20:52:48.463Z
Fred
<p>Iron did not come primarily from &quot;asteroids that fell onto Earth&quot;. It came primarily from the original set of asteroids/boulders/whatever you want to call the solid particles that first accreted to form Earth, with a little more from the objects that hit the planet later on. In other words, iron has been a major part of Earth since primordial times, before life evolved. Lifeforms then found this iron and some of them (I would suppose most of them, in one way or another) proceeded to incorporate it into their biosystems.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-13T20:57:21.503Z
2023-07-13T20:57:21.503Z
Oscar Lanzi
<p>ok so iron came from asteroids that fell down on earth. but why do human body has iron if its not originally from earth. I just had this thought at like 12 am so please answer it i am really curious</p>

<astronomy>
If iron is a outer space material which it is then why do human body needs it
Gokboru Playz
# If iron is a outer space material which it is then why do human body needs it

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-07-13)

ok so iron came from asteroids that fell down on earth. but why do human body has iron if its not originally from earth. I just had this thought at like 12 am so please answer it i am really curious

**Tags:** astronomy


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-07-13. Score: 4

Every [element](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table) on Earth came from outer space. Apart from hydrogen, which was formed during the Big Bang, every other element was [formed](https://science.nasa.gov/origin-elements) by different types of stars.

> The carbon in your body was made by nuclear fusion in the interior of stars, as was the oxygen. Much of the iron in your body was made during supernovas of stars that occurred long ago and far away. The gold in your jewelry was likely made from neutron stars.

The [Earth](https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/formation-earth/) and asteroids formed from comic dust produced by exploding stars. Iron wasn't added as a late addition. It was an integral element from the earliest [formation of the Earth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth). When life developed on Earth, iron was already present for it to use.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I thonk you beat me tothe punch with the last paragraph of your answer. Think I should just delete mine?  
> **username_0**: thanks for answering my question  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-07-13. Score: 0

Iron did not come primarily from "asteroids that fell onto Earth". It came primarily from the original set of asteroids/boulders/whatever you want to call the solid particles that first accreted to form Earth, with a little more from the objects that hit the planet later on. In other words, iron has been a major part of Earth since primordial times, before life evolved. Lifeforms then found this iron and some of them (I would suppose most of them, in one way or another) proceeded to incorporate it into their biosystems.


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