But given the history of the universe isn't this just wildly improbable as a story? I mean, 12bn years is very long, but is it enough time for neutron stars colliding to make my wedding ring?
The article doesn't go so far as to say so explicitly, but it implies we're seeing spectra of gold, platinum, and uranium, among others, in gamma ray bursts. If that's the case, I don't think the a priori improbability of the story much matters.
The story is correct. It was also covered by Ethan Siegel in Starts With A Bang! on Medium [1].
You may also find this incredible. Boron, an element vital for life on Earth, was mostly created by cosmic rays colliding with heavier atoms, not created in stars. [2]
But given the history of the universe isn't this just wildly improbable as a story? I mean, 12bn years is very long, but is it enough time for neutron stars colliding to make my wedding ring?