Meteorite's Inclusions Incorporated Short-Lived Radionuclie Curium-247 (IMAGE) University of Chicago Caption The Allende carbonaceous meteorite is peppered with inclusions that have a ceramic-like chemistry (red for calcium, blue for aluminum, green for magnesium in the false color image below; field of view is 0.5 millimeters, approximately one-hundredth of an inch). When they formed, these inclusions incorporated the short-lived nuclide curium-247 (with a half life of 15 million years), traces of which have been detected in research conducted at the University of Chicago as a significant excess in uranium-235, its decay product. Curium-247 came from nucleosynthesis in stars that lived and died before the solar system was born. Credit François L.H. Tissot Usage Restrictions News organizations may use this image in connection with reports about the research of Nicolas Dauphas and François Tissot. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.