Physicists at the University of Tennessee used a neutron detector to measure beta-delayed two-neutron emission in exotic nuclei along the r-process pathway, marking the first detailed study of this process crucial for heavy element formation like gold. The team also discovered a long-sought single particle neutron state in tin-133 after 20 years of searches and observed a non-statistical population challenging existing nuclear models. These findings, funded by the National Science Foundation, enhance models of stellar nucleosynthesis and open new fields in nuclear physics. Next steps include refining theoretical calculations for r-process events in neutron star mergers.