The stunning remnants of an exploded star include elements that helped build life on Earth. | National Geographic

A supernova, the so-called “death” of a massive star, is as brilliant and beautiful an end as colorful leaves in autumn. Like the seasons on Earth, it is also part of an ongoing cycle: Nuclear fusion in the supernova blast wave creates new elements that will go on to be incorporated into new things in the universe, including stars and planets. Learn how the James Webb Space Telescope will teach us more about the star lifecycle: https://webbtelescope.org/webb-science/the-star-lifecycle Credit: NA