ALICE detects the conversion of lead into gold at the LHC (home.cern)

Article summary

The LHC has detected the conversion of lead into gold in sub-microscopic, radioactive quantities through a new method involving near-misses at CERN. This process is not a direct target bombardment inside a particle accelerator, but rather a result of high-energy collisions. The converted gold exists for a tiny fraction of a second before fragmenting into other particles. The article's details are not available, but the discussion reveals the scientific community's interest in this phenomenon.

Main themes

• particle physics
• alchemy
• LHC discovery
• scientific funding
• value of gold
• transmutation circle humor

What commenters say

• The conversion of lead into gold is theoretically possible and has been known for some time, but it is prohibitively expensive to achieve.
• The LHC can be seen as a giant alchemy machine, turning matter and energy from one form into another.
• The idea of transmuting lead into gold is more complex and nuanced than the alchemists' original concept.
• The value of gold would likely decrease if it could be produced artificially through particle collisions.
• The scientific community is fascinated by the idea of alchemy and its connection to modern physics.
• The LHC's discovery is not a viable means of producing gold due to the extremely small quantities and short duration of the converted gold.
• The concept of a transmutation circle is humorously compared to the track of a particle collider.
• The discussion highlights the difference between theoretical possibility and experimental reality in scientific research.