Sometimes parents tell small children that we’re all made out of stardust (No idea why). But, in a roundabout way, is

Question: Sometimes parents tell small children that we're all made out of stardust (No idea why). But, in a roundabout way, is it true?
- Keywords:
  children,
  fact or fiction,
  idea,
  stardust
Asked by smint to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 2 Jul 2012.
- Philippa Bird answered on 2 Jul 2012:
  
  I can’t see why not – we all came from the big bang originally…
- Tim Stephens answered on 2 Jul 2012:
  
  Yes!
  After the big bang, there was a soup of electrons, protons and neutrons (the particles that make up atoms). These cooled into Hydrogen atoms, which then formed into stars. The stars turned Hydrogen into Helium and then heavier elements by nuclear fusion.
  Once the stars had used up their fuel, they exploded in Supernovae and the remnants made more stars and the process repeated.
  Eventually, the solar system and earth was formed from these fragments – the atoms in you are literally made out of stardust.
- Tom Lister answered on 2 Jul 2012:
  
  I agree.
  
  But why is it called stardust? I can’t imagine a star being very dusty.