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Subscribe to RSSA video from Brookhaven Lab explains why the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, is producing temperatures up to 4 trillion degrees Celsius.
What's hotter than Justin Bieber and Emma Stone put together? Guinness World Records says the hottest stuff made by humans is the multitrillion-degree quark-gluon plasma that was produced two years ago at the Brookhaven National Laboratory's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC. The plasma, also known as big-bang soup, reached a temperature of 4 trillion degrees Celsius (7.2 trillion degrees Fahrenheit), which is 250,000 times hotter than the center of the sun.
Why so hot? RHIC's physicists were seeking to duplicate the conditions that existed just an instant after the big bang that kicked off the universe's expansion 13.7 billion years ago. At that temperature, the quarks and gluons that are almost always bound together in protons, neutrons and the like are jumping around in a free, soupy state. Studying that soup could reveal how the universe is put together at its most fundamental level.
The RHIC team created the soup by accelerating gold ions in a 2.4-mile-round magnetic ring in New York, and smashing them together at nearly the speed of light. They found that the proton-sized dollops of plasma had the characteristics of a nearly perfect liquid rather than a gas.
"There are many cool things about this ultra-hot matter,” Steven Vigdor, who leads Brookhaven’s nuclear and particle physics program, said in today's news release about the Guinness recognition. "We expected to reach these temperatures that is, after all, why RHIC was built — but we did not at all anticipate the nearly perfect liquid behavior."
Vigdor noted that trapped atom samples also behave much like a liquid on the other end of the temperature spectrum, near absolute zero. "The unity of physics is a beautiful thing!" he said.
Like an aging celebrity, the 12-year-old RHIC is slowly being eclipsed by the new kid on the block — CERN's Large Hadron Collider on the French-Swiss border, which is in its fourth year of operation. One of the detectors at the LHC, known as ALICE ("A Large Ion Collider Experiment"), is doing similar big-bang experiments with lead ions, and has achieved temperatures higher than RHIC's. Some researchers have estimated that ALICE's soup gets as hot as 10 trillion degrees.
"The energy density at the LHC is a factor of three higher than at RHIC," Brookhaven quotes CERN physicist Despina Hatzifotiadou as saying. "This translates to a 30 percent increase in absolute temperature compared to the value achieved by RHIC. So I would say that ALICE has the record!"
The only holdup is that ALICE's team has not yet published an official temperature measurement for its quark-gluon plasma, and as Brookhaven notes, "the Guinness team is nothing if not official." That means there's still plenty of time to raise a pint of Guinness (or your favorite alternate beverage) and drink a toast to RHIC's hotness.
More about big bangs:
- Matter melts — if it's 125,000 times hotter than the sun
- LHC opens up a fresh frontier in big-bang science
- Atom-smashing scientists want even Bigger Bangs
- Interactive: Inside the Big Bang Machine
- Special report on the Large Hadron Collider
Alan Boyle is msnbc.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
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Utter sexiness yet few to no comments. It's sad when glorious science is oft ignored over the ongoings of less-than-intelligent-oft-glamorized celebrities in an article that says "OMG Linday Lohan just picked her nose! We have photos!"
Yes, but it's even more sad to ponder the notion that soon this thread will mainly consist of anti-science rhetoric.
Indeed
Well, in fairness, it's not really all that sexy. Particle soup behaving like a liquid isn't going to keep most people up at night. Hell, most readers don't even know what quarks are and msnbc tends to bury this stuff anyway. Esoterica will never mean much to the layman.
Maybe having Justin Bieber and Emma Stone in the first paragraph will help. ;-) Yes, I said Justin Bieber ... Justin Bieber ... Justin Bieber ... Justin Bieber ...
Mmmm....... Justin Bieber..............
I think the young Raquel Welch was almost that hot ....
But I really think that they should stop that heat creating type research ....
It was a bit warm out today with new record high temperatures here and there ....
Justin Beaver.....Alan, what were you thinking? What were you drinking? Puh-leeeze.
You must need to get your numbers up or something. Pretty clever, I guess. Anybody googling Justin Beaver will have your article pop up.
Sad, really, what a sell out. You should be ashamed of yourself. Go to your room and don't come out until you have something scientific to tell us. :-)
LOL, I remember I kept hearing the phrase "bieber fever" and kept hearing it as "beaver fever" which then reminded me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhyCL-ELRxg
(naked gun movie clip)
"The big bang"
If no one was around to hear it, was it a "Big anything"?. Let's be scientific about this, If a tree falls in the woods and nothings around to hear it.....?
You can't say "Flash of light" nothings around to see it.
It's all just speculation.
I say, praise God for His wonderful creation!
It's speculation for you because you're simply ignorant of any details, quite possibly by choice. It's part of the poison that is religion, but you won't know it.
Yes, Edward ... Praise be to Allah ... the one true God!
See, I can throw out white noise, too :)
Myth troll. Please ban from science and space articles.
If I say "God created the universe", you will say "who created God?"
You will say the "Big Bang created the Universe" I could say a "Big Bang created God".
Each is just as logical. At least I will have an intelligent origin of the universe after the big bang. The big bang as the creation of the universe by itself is just silly.
I believe that describing God is really impossible for our human minds to fathom. He has always been, without time. We can't hardly understand anything without time. Now if God dwells outside of time, then a question of Who created God is also impossible in the light of, God saying to moses he is the "I AM" .
OK guys, I am not PC, so I'll say it:
"Drop it Ed, we get the picture. Have a good time in church on your knees."
Leave the intellectual stuff to us Bieber Believers.....
"nice beaver!"
"thank you, I just had it stuffed"
on a more serious note, I can't imagine why something like this "god" being would bother with the minutiae of every detail of our individual lives when said being has an entire universe to concern itself with.
To each his own, if you need gods to help you sleep at night, so be it.
Exactly. You can't use science, logic and reason to change the minds of those whose beliefs require them to accept talking snakes, walking on water and parthenogenesis as fact.
Big-Bang Soup...does that come with croutons or sub-atomic particles??? Don't forget Neutrinos...the breakfast of champions!
I have July 4th circled on my calendar...awaiting the big announcement from CERN.
Well this is more like a broth, a base for other soups. For example, if you want primordial soup, you have to add a lot of ingredients and follow a recipe that's so secret, nobody actually knows what it is.
Very sexy. *fans himself*
How do you contain something that's multimillions of degrees? I wonder, suppose they succeeded in creating a new Big Bang - what do you do with a brand new universe? And what happens to the old one?
Yes, that's a natural question that I answered in the earlier item about the hot soup. (Look down toward the end.)
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/02/15/4349940-hottest-soup-in-the-universe?lite
Briefly, it's just a proton-sized flash that lasts for an instant before the burst of radiation dissipates. The detector has a lot of hardware in it that absorbs some of the energy, but you still wouldn't want to be standing right next to it when the deed is done, billions of times.
In the very unlikely event that a new universe is spawned, it'll probably happen in an independent spacetime, and will disconnect from the parent nearly immediately. What about the gravitational impact of the new universe on its parent? Remember that gravity naturally cancels out to zero, so there should be no such impact.
Disclaimer: don't believe random commentators.
well, if some amount of the energy of collision seems to disappear, maybe it would be going into a seperate universe that causually disconnects itself from our own
I don't think they have observed it yet though
of course, that would make us the "creators" of an entire universe, or many even. who knows, maybe every universe that we don't know actually exists (which would be anything outside ours if such a thing is so) is actually the result of some extremely energitic collision from another universe.
Its really not that complicated for me. If I walk into a room and the big bang crowd are on one side and the god crowd are on the other I can assure you I will gravitate to the bigbang side of the room because on the god side will be child molesters and evangelicals teaching kids/adults that man rode dinosaurs like horses because the earth is only 6 thousand years old. Not a bright crowd to say the least.
There are many competing models and theories on the Big Bang event,
each with its own details, all agree on two basic premises: At some certain
point in the past the universe began to exist and it has been expanding ever
since. Both these premises are clearly taught in Scripture. He
writes, "The Bible's prophets and apostles stated explicitly and repeatedly the
two most fundamental properties of the big bang, a transcendent cosmic beginning
a finite time period ago and a universe undergoing a general, continual
expansion. In Isaiah 42:5 both properties were declared, "This is what the Lord
says-He who created the heavens and stretched them out" also
that there are at least eleven Bible verses that talk about God's "stretching
out" the universe.
All in all, the concept of a big bang type creation event shouldn't trouble
Christians too much. While specifics such as the nature of the creation, if it
was guided intelligently, and other points should be discussed vigorously and
the Christian position defended, the main idea of the universe coming into
existence a finite time ago is actually a huge concession on the part of modern
science,
No ... it really shouldn't.
It's all the other mountains of evidence and science that goes against an omniscient, omnipresent, theistic creator you guys should worry about.
If your god created the unimaginable vastness of the cosmos just to spread salvation to a tiny, insignificant spec in a tiny, insignificant galaxy (one of trillions) ...... then damn. He's one hell of an inefficient designer. He should of created some engineers first for consultation.
Chad
He created it all for us, and to show us His Glory. Remember the 1000 years we will be with Christ on earth when He returns. 1000 years having many of the abilities Christ had. If that's the case than we will be able To travel anywhere in the universe we wish in an instant, that's my unscientific theory anyway.
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be; but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see
Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifleth himself even
as He is pure.” (I John III: v. 2, 3).
Just think about it? after the many years of wondering what it's all about, we will finally know. God didn't create all the hidden things of the universe just for Himself. Read Genisis and find out the reasons for the stars. "And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day
from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years" He doesn't live in time as we do, so time itself was created for man, and so was all the universe.
Praise God for his wonderful Glory.
Wait ... god's an atheist like me?
That's awesome.
Edward-1730176 claims the Bible contains real science. Yes, the Bible is surely scientifically accurate.
Genesis 1 states that God created plants BEFORE he created the sun. How did photosynthesis work without sunlight? Of course, the same chapter also claims that God created the sun AFTER He created day and night. (What the hell was a "day" then?)
Genesis 7: 19-20 claims that Noah's flood (which has been thoroughly disproved by geologists) says the Earth was covered to a depth of 15 cubits (22.5 feet). Mt. Everest is 29,029 feet, so the water was 29,051.5 feet deeper. Such a massive influx of fresh water would have completely altered the Earth's climate, even changing the Earth's atmosphere, which would have rendered Earth unable to support any life that later emerged from any so-called "ark".
Joshua 10:12 claims God stopped the sun (and the moon) in the sky. That means the Earth's rotation was suddenly halted, and everything was yanked violently eastward at 1000 miles per hour. The moon's cessation of motion caused stationary tides that easily rivaled the destructive effects of tsunamis. But that's nothing. Isaiah 38: 8 claims the sun suddenly reversed its course, which was twice as destructive (2000 mph).
According to General Relativity, gravity is the warping of spacetime caused by the presence of mass. This disproves Christ's ascension into Heaven because in order for that to happen, the earth had to lose all its mass. That means the earth was destroyed, so there wouldn't be any people left to read any Bibles.
1 Kings 7: 23 claims that pi = 3. Try doing your math with that figure. See how far you get.
Yes, I always turn to the bible when I need scientific facts.
Jim
God is "God" ,whatever happened, happened in His way, not ours. The Sun and the Moon were created after vegetation, yes, but if you start at the beginning of Genesis you will see that God said "Let there be Light. So there was light first then the Sun and the moon were created. As far as the stopping of the rotation of the earth, God is "God" He can do anything, even if it defies Science. He made you.
How is it, if everything happened by a "Big Bang" why you are even disputing God? If God is not real, why worry about others view points. I believe it is because in you as in every man and woman, there is a need to fill that empty place within you, which has been empty in man sense the time Adam and Eve sinned. God wants you, he always has, you can pretend there is no God, but He will always be knocking at your heart. Scripture says "He is the Door, Knock and it will be open to you" Christ died, yes, laid down his life as a sacrifice for your sins, and He now lives .read John 3:16. All you have to do is believe.
We don't, as long as your personal beliefs are just that. Personal (as your bible says: Render onto Cesar.)
You can spend your days naked, rolling around in fairy dust for all I care ... but as soon as you push your private views upon others, or try and trample the rights of others, or stifle the education of others, that's where you are going to find trouble.
Personally, I think you're just a troll as we have engaged before ... yet you seldom reply. I even posted to your direct wall once, but to no avail. So you're either a troll, or some questions just make you recoil into your scriptural abyss.
Chad, Chad.
I'm replying, but so far I haven't heard anything that really goes against my beliefs, until someone calls God a Fairy. Now calling me a Troll that's different, that won't bother me, and my pixie friends. I've never called Scientists, names, or even you for that matter. I respect your views. I just don't always agree with them.
As Christians we become an enmity with the world views, but that's OK. This life is very short, and I take pleasure in the cross of Christ, because it is salvation for the world.
"Troll" isn't a direct insult ... it merely describes someone who deliberately distributes misinformation on the web to get a rise out of people. If you're not, you're not. I didn't mean it as a "name", nor do I result to such pettiness as name-calling.
That's because science doesn't necessarily go against the concept of "god" ... it's just that your religion is no different (in the eyes of science) than the thousands that came before it. Your stories and scriptures (while sometimes narratively beautiful) are not all that unique. And, when framed within a scientific discussion, are just as much "white noise" as a Muslim quoting "science" in the Koran.
This life is very short, and I take pleasure in the Hadith and the Quran, because it is Allah's truth for the world.
See what I mean?
my gut feeling is that should this god being actually exist (and provided it is causually connected with our own universe), it will most likely be almost completely unlike anything that man has ever imagined or written about
if it walks like a troll and comments like a troll it's a troll. Sorry Edward you're a myth troll in a science article. You have no life and completely consumed by the myth. You add no value to the discussion. I would like to see them ban you but they won't.
greg, while I wince when the "faithful" feel the need to spout their chosen delusions onto a science thread (or any other thread for that matter, try a vegan going on about a thread about eating meat), I more or less respect their right to spout their delusion. that does not mean that I don't have a right to laugh in their face.
HELL IS HOTTER!!
And thank you for posting the truth about God @Edward 1730176!!
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Confucius say: He who go to bed with itching ears, wake up with waxy fingers
LetsGo
Please read Genesis, chapters 2 and 3, where God Himself states that He is a liar. In the same passages, God says that the serpent tells the truth.
Jim,
You do only yourself harm, so be careful...your life is not of your own making...God gave you life and He can take it away.
God is not mocked!
@letsgo, is that a death threat from god? really?
or is that a death threat from you?
i'm still waiting for that bolt of lightning coming down out of the blue. if he is real (he ain't), he knows where to find me.
LetsGo
"Gods are fragile little things ... they can be killed with the slightest dose of science or whiff of common sense"
chad-1841583
Give me a dose of science, that will contradict God, that has been completely thought out. Not using a portion of scripture that could be considered a parable.
Remember God created Scientists.
To The Night Who Says No,
No, of course it wasn't a death threat from me...and you know that. But I am not a fool...Jim blasphemed God by accusing God of being a liar and suggesting that Satan is the one who is true! I think that's treading on seriously dangerous territory with the Almighty for a person who is evidently unsaved, unrepentant, and not promised tomorrow. And yes, God surely does know where to find you, but I sure hope for your sake that you find Him first.
It's quite funny that things once long considered revelation, have now been relegated to simple "parable", don't you think?
LetsGo your god yahweh is imaginary just like every imaginary god that has come before him. Blasphemed that!
The verse is found in 2 Timothy chapter 4:3-4
"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead,
to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of
teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn
their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
Amen
I'm wondering if instead of quoting this, you should actually be reading it introspectively?
Be careful, Chad. Those Who Believe in Unicorns are here. My advice? Back away slowly and avoid eye contact.
It's much more fun to paw and bat at them with light swipes of indifference.
chad
So far you have not scratched any one of us Christians.
Because my aim is not to scratch ... as I said, it's more fun to paw and bat.
Good-night Chad.
I will keep you in my prayers.
Don't apply to much science, where the Spiritual things of God, that are not seen, hold science all together.
Hey could ya'll conduct these experiments in the next galaxy over please? I'm not all that fired up in knowing "how the universe is put together at its most fundamental level."
Then why are you commenting on a space article. Trolling much?
jason, would you PLEASE move over to the next galaxy?
some of us are actually trying to understand the universe instead of playing video games
7.2 trillion degrees? That's some hot soup! Impressive stuff tho!