The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) recently announced that in experiments conducted with the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), they observed a phenomenon where lead atoms instantaneously transform into gold atoms when colliding at speeds close to the speed of light. While this research doesn’t yield any gold that could be used for making jewelry, it adds new empirical evidence to the scientific basis of ancient alchemy.
The CERN ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) team has conducted a series of lead-lead Close encounter experiments, analyzing the effects caused by strong electromagnetic fields generated by high-energy charged ions, even in the absence of direct collisions. These electromagnetic fields can strike protons, resulting in lead atoms losing three protons and ultimately forming gold atoms. According to a recent research report published in Physical Review C journal, approximately 86 billion gold atomic nuclei were produced during Run 2 (2015 to 2018). Although these atoms exist for less than a microsecond, scientists have finally been able to systematically detect this so-called Modern Alchemy process for the first time.
The ALICE team utilized a Zero Degree Calorimeter (ZDC) to tally various proton loss events, including lead atoms losing one proton to transform into thallium, losing two protons to become mercury, and losing three protons to generate gold atoms. Although the occurrences of thallium and mercury were significantly higher than that of gold atoms, the research team successfully estimated that up to 89,000 gold atomic nuclei could be produced per second.
These gold atoms burst out of the experimental area at high speed, quickly breaking down into other particles before colliding with the walls of the tube or the particle beam interception device. The entire process is incredibly brief, with the total mass of gold produced amounting to just 29 picograms (0.000000000029 grams). Even though the output in Run 3 came close to doubling, there remains a staggering gap of trillions when it comes to producing a single piece of gold jewelry.
Marco Van Leeuwen, the spokesperson for ALICE, stated that handling the extreme cases of thousands of particles generated in each collision, as well as the subtle changes when only a few particles are released, marks a significant advancement for the ALICE detector. This experiment not only enhances the accuracy of the electromagnetic disassembly model but also aids in predicting particle beam losses, providing valuable guidance for the design of future large colliders like Future Circular Collider (FCC).
The realization of Alchemy is made possible by the 27-kilometer-long particle accelerator within the LHC, which accelerates lead atoms at speeds nearing the speed of light. This simulates the quark-gluon plasma from the early moments of the universe’s birth, offering humanity a potential avenue for tracing the origins of matter.
