People become astronomers for many reasons: They’re interested in the workings of the stars, or the quest to find life in the universe, or the fate of the universe itself. Geoffrey Burbidge joked that he became an astronomer because he married one. He and his wife, Margaret, were astronomy’s power couple.

And they co-authored one of the most important studies of the 20th century.

Burbidge was born 100 years ago today, in the English village of Chipping Norton. He first studied history, but switched to physics. After earning his undergraduate degree, shortly after World War II, he developed bombs for a while. Back in academia, he married Margaret, and they hopped around England and the United States over the next few decades.

Burbidge contributed to many areas of astronomy theory. But he’s best known for a single paper, known as B-squared-F-H for the names of its authors – the two Burbidges, William Fowler, and Fred Hoyle.

In it, they explained how stars forge most of the elements in the universe. Many elements are created in a star’s core during its long life; others, in the violent deaths of stars. Some of the elements are expelled into space, where they can be incorporated into new stars. The newer generations make even more elements – eventually creating the chemistry we see in the universe today. So the paper showed that we’re all made of “starstuff” – elements created in the stars.

Script by Damond Benningfield