Researchers at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider have accomplished something that would make any alchemist dream. They’ve managed to convert lead into gold, albeit only in small quantities.
This fascinating breakthrough occurred as the world’s largest particle accelerator explored a new method that involves near-miss interactions of particles, as detailed in a recent statement.
Typically, CERN experiments involve colliding particles at mind-boggling speeds to glean insights from brief moments of interaction, hoping to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
In this case, however, the researchers didn’t forcefully collide particles. Instead, they created near misses between lead nuclei, which generated electromagnetic fields. This enabled the formation of gold nuclei by removing some protons from lead.
“The electromagnetic fields emitted from the lead nucleus are particularly strong thanks to their 82 protons, each with a basic charge,” CERN noted. To form gold, which has 79 protons, three protons must be removed from the lead nuclei.
When lead nuclei are sped up to “99.999993% of the speed of light,” it creates brief bursts of photons, leading to what scientists call “electromagnetic dissociation.” This process can alter the internal structure of the particles.
“The current analysis represents the first experimental detection of gold production signatures at the LHC, thanks to the unique capabilities of Alice ZDCS,” highlighted Uliana Dmitrieave of CERN.
Overall, CERN scientists recorded a staggering 86 billion gold nuclei in four major experiments. This amount equated to about 29 picograms of matter, but it only lasted for a fleeting moment.
While the achievement mirrors some ancient alchemical dreams, it appears to underscore the futility of those hopes for riches. “The technical realizations of medieval alchemy have been met, but their aspirations for wealth remain unfulfilled,” the organization stated in a release.
The Large Hadron Collider itself stretches 17 miles in an underground tunnel along the border of France and Switzerland, delving into the origins of atomic particles and the universe. In 2022 alone, scientists made headlines by discovering three new subatomic particles, including pairs of pentaquarks and tetraquarks.
