Although supernovas are associated with the death of stars they also seed the universe with heavy elements that comprise rocky planets like Earth and living creatures. Due to their extraordinary brightness supernovas have a recorded history dating back 2,000 years. Although closely studied for decades their infrequency has permitted only a general understanding of their behavior until very recently. New computer models can model the major details of the explosion while new exploratory techniques reveal many more events including some truly super supernovas.
—David Foss