What can we learn from kilonovae about nucleosynthesis and high-density matter?

The electromagnetic transients accompanying neutron-star mergers (NSMs), called kilonovae, are powered by the radioactive decay of freshly synthesized heavy elements. As such they should contain rich information about the ejected matter and the properties of the extremely dense meta-stable neutron-star remnant formed right after the collision. However, extracting such information from observed kilonova light curves and spectra remains a challenging endeavor, which requires sophisticated models of various hydrodynamic processes and neutrino transport effects, detailed knowledge of nuclear and atomic physics, as well as complex radiative transfer calculations. In this talk I will report recent efforts from our "HeavyMetal" collaboration aimed at deciphering kilonovae.