Learn English – what does “exist at all” mean

phrases

I need help about a certain phrase. I couldn't grasp the exact meaning of "exist at all" in the following sentence:

This is the basis of nuclear fission reactors, where unstable nuclei of very unstable elements such as uranium and plutonium are encouraged to split into lighter elements, with energy being released. Those heavy elements only exist at all, and the energy is only available to be released, because energy was put in to their manufacture in the dying explosion of a star (or stars) that started out with at least eight to ten times the mass of our sun. (Alone in the Universe: Why Our Planet Is Unique by John Gribbin)

(The sentence is about uranium and plutonium, by the way.)

Does it mean that they exist in small amounts?

Best Answer

OK, I see the full quote is

Those heavy elements only exist at all, and the energy is only available to be released, because ... reason

(Source: Either "Alone in the universe" or "The reason why", both by John Gribbin).

and it means

If it were not for reason, then those heavy elements would not exist, and their energy would not be available to be released.

It may make more sense if you think of it the original sentence as a variation on:

Those heavy elements only exist because of reason.
Their energy is only available because of reason

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