The gravitational-wave detectors LIGO and Virgo together with their electromagnetic partner facilities have transformed the modus operandi in which we seek information about the Universe. The first ever-observed neutron-star merger---GW170817---confirmed the association of short gamma-ray bursts with neutron-star mergers and the production of heavy (r-process) elements. Based on recent theoretical and observational developments, I briefly present and discuss a conjecture, namely that compact accretion disks in both short and long gamma-ray bursts synthesize most of the heavy r-process elements in the Universe. The upcoming era of multi-messenger astronomy may allow us to verify or falsify this conjecture.
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