The following part is from the book: “The universe explained to my grandchildren” by Hubert Reeves.
G: In a book, you wrote that we are “stardust”. What does this mean;
W: It is one of the most significant discoveries of modern science. A discovery that connects us to the world of stars, and which astronomers reached thanks to telescopes and patient research. The center of the stars is sweltering – by millions of degrees – and nuclear reactions take place there. These give birth to new atoms that accumulate in the star’s body. Later, after the death and dismemberment of a star, these atoms break free and wander into Space. Some will be found again in the matter that makes up our planet. They circulate on land and oceans. And one day they enter the life cycle of living beings. Since then, these atoms have been an integral part of every living creature and our food. So we can indeed say that we are made from stardust! In this sense, the stars are the “great-grandmothers” of all humans and all living creatures.