Take a look at the many processes that were responsible for creating the 118 elements on the periodic table.

Music Credit:
Covert Affair by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...


Many elements have various pathways that were responsible for creating their many isotopes. This video highlighted some of the basic pathways found in first generations stars and the rprocess in supernovae, though many more exist. I recommend looking through some of the references below to learn more.


References

Synthesis of the elements in stars: forty years of progress:
http://www.ieap.unikiel.de/et/downlo...

The famous "B2FH" paper from 1957 titled Synthesis of the Elements in Stars:
https://www.pmf.unizg.hr/_download/re...