World’s largest atom smasher turns lead into gold; alchemy’s greatest moment is here
SMRTR summary
Physicists at CERN's Large Hadron Collider observed lead transforming into gold during high-energy particle collisions. The ALICE collaboration analyzed "near-miss" collisions of lead nuclei, detecting gold nuclei signatures using Zero Degree Calorimeters. This occurs when lead nuclei lose three protons due to intense electromagnetic fields. The LHC produces gold at a peak rate of 89,000 nuclei per second, though the total mass is minuscule. While not commercially viable, this research provides insights for particle accelerator operations and tests theoretical models of electromagnetic dissociation.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Interesting Engineering.
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