Scientists re-create Big Bang in lab

[KlaytoN]

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As always, the wonders of science..

Scientists re-create Big Bang in lab
By Liz Goodwin

Scientists say they have created a mini Big Bang using the world's largest atom smasher, resulting in a temperature "a millions times hotter" than the sun's center, the BBC reports.

In an underground tunnel near Geneva, the European Organization for Nuclear Research smashed together particles inside the $10 billion accelerator known as the Large Hadron Collider, in an effort to learn more about the plasma that formed the universe a split- second after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. Scientists say a tiny ball of matter exploded and then quickly formed a melted "soup" of matter, which then re-ordered itself into what is now the universe.

The experiment, using lead ions instead of protons, produced the highest densities and temperatures ever created by scientists, and a kind of matter formerly unseen on Earth, The Telegraph reports.

"At these temperatures even protons and neutrons, which make up the nuclei of atoms, melt, resulting in a hot dense soup of quarks and gluons known as a quark-gluon plasma," researcher David Evans from the University of Birmingham told the BBC.

The Guardian explains that the moment the scientists are re-creating happened about 0.00000000001 seconds after the Big Bang, an interval when "protons and neutrons can't even stay whole."

Scientists are also trying to figure out more about the "strong force," which binds the nuclei of atoms and gives them most of their mass.


Source: Scientists re-create Big Bang in lab | The Upshot Yahoo! News

Related Article: BBC News - Large Hadron Collider (LHC) generates a 'mini-Big Bang'

[KlaytoN]

The Large Hadron Collider has succeeded in recreating a miniature version of the Big Bang by smashing stripped-down lead atoms together.

The reaction created temperatures a million times hotter than the centre of the Sun, which have not been reached since the first billionths of a second following the Big Bang.

This was expected to cause atomic particles such as protons and neutrons to melt, producing a "soup" of matter in a state previously unseen on Earth.

Scientists, including British particle physicists, will now study the particles in the hope of discovering what holds atoms together and gives them their mass.

The collisions were produced by firing lead ions – atoms with their electrons removed – at incredible speeds in opposite directions around the LHC's underground tunnel at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, near Geneva.

The heavyweight particle collisions follow seven months of earlier experiments crashing protons – which are 200 times lighter than lead ions – at near-light speeds.

Dr David Evans, of Birmingham University, said on Sunday: "We are thrilled with the achievement. The collisions generated mini Big Bangs and the highest temperatures and densities ever achieved in an experiment.

"This process took place in a safe, controlled environment generating incredibly hot and dense subatomic fireballs with temperatures of over ten trillion degrees – a million times hotter than the centre of the Sun."

He added: "At these temperatures even protons and neutrons, which make up the nuclei of atoms, melt resulting in a hot dense soup of quarks and gluons known as a Quark-Gluon Plasma.

"By studying this plasma, physicists hope to learn more about the Strong Force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature."

The latest experiment at CERN went ahead despite warnings by a group called Heavy Ion Alert that it could trigger a catastrophic chain reaction that might destroy the Earth.

LHC scientists say the claim is nonsense.


Source: Large Hadron Collider creates 'mini Big Bang' with lead ions - Telegraph

I'm just wondering what is it exactly on the experiment that caused some groups to be concerned about??

[Jakk_bLaine]

I've heard it once, they(some groups) were concerned that the experiment could actually develop a black hole on earth and swallow us whole.

[fritzd]

This news I like. Read the title. hehehe

LHC now fully fledged HEAVY METAL collider - physicsworld.com

[kit_cebu]

old news.......but still worth the read........ but like most people of the scientific world, not worth the money....

[treize]

old news.......but still worth the read........ but like most people of the scientific world, not worth the money....

this time I agree with you..

CERN is famous for their anti-matter creation..

[edu_taps]

did you know that the gravitational force acting inside a nucleus is equal to the speed of light, making neutrons mini black-holes orbiting each other? Search it.

[leo_trams]

hala no? and were they able to re-create a mini Earth complete with mini humans mini animals and all mini living things on it?


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[edu_taps]

pag xur oi unsay mini humans. mini robot tngale

[treize]

hala no? and were they able to re-create a mini Earth complete with mini humans mini animals and all mini living things on it?


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LOL much better if they will create a woman's mini skirts a lot minier...