Animation of the lithium burning nuclear reaction that occurs in stars. Lithium is produced by the fusion reactions that power stars, but it is quickly burned up. Lithium-6 collides with a proton (red), forming beryllium-7. This then collides with an electron (blue), emitting a neutrino (orange star) and forming lithium-7. The lithium-7 collides with another proton to form beryllium-8, which rapidly decays into two helium-4 nuclei.