How many stars are birthed by Milky Way Galaxy every year? NASA reveals (NASA)

NASA has measured the rate at which stars are birthed in our Milky Way Galaxy every year through an investigation that is virtually similar to forensic detective work. (NASA)

By mapping patches of radioactive aluminium in the Milky Way Galaxy, scientists could determine the number of stars that are born and yes, how many die each year. (AFP)

As reported in the January 5 issue of Nature, scientists used the European Space Agency's INTEGRAL satellite to explore regions of the galaxy shining brightly from the radioactive decay of aluminum-26, an isotope of aluminium. (Pixabay)

That aluminum is produced in massive star explosions, called supernovae, and it emits a telltale light signal in the gamma-ray energy range. (Pixabay)

Here are the three key findings that the research team’s multi-year analysis revealed: The team confirmed that aluminum-26 is found primarily in star-forming regions throughout the galaxy; about once every 50 years a massive star will go supernova in our galaxy (yes, horrifyingly, we are overdue for one). (Pixabay)

Importantly, each year the Milky Way Galaxy creates on average about seven new stars. (Pixabay)

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., oversees the INTEGRAL U.S. Guest Observer Facility, which funded part of this research. These results will also be presented January 9 at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Washington. (Pixabay)

Dr. Roland Diehl of Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany, lead author on the Nature report stated that "Our galaxy isn't the biggest producer of stars and supernovae in the universe, but there's still plenty of activity," (Pixabay)

He further added that, "A sustained star formation rate of this magnitude is just what one needs to drive its chemical and dynamical evolution, which has led to life on Earth." (Pixabay)

The research team also states that these rates of star birth also imply that per year about four solar masses of interstellar gas are converted to stars. (Pixabay)

Astonishingly, about 10 billion years into its life, the Milky Way galaxy has now converted about 90 percent of its initial gas content into stars. (Pixabay)