Quest Aims to Create Bigger Atoms and New Kinds of Matter

[n2doc]

By Clara Moskowitz, LiveScience Senior Writer
posted: 12 March 2010 02:11 pm ET

A quest is underway to create larger and larger atoms with more protons and neutrons than ever before.

By building these super-heavy elements, scientists are not just creating new kinds of matter – they are probing the subatomic world and learning about the mysterious forces that hold atoms together.

"Of course discovering something new is always very interesting, but the main motivation is, we don’t understand how nuclei work out in these extreme limits," said Dawn Shaughnessy, a chemist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif.

The scientists are also working toward a tantalizing goal: They hope to discover a theoretical "island of stability" where ultra-large elements all of a sudden become easier to make. While most extremely heavy atoms disintegrate in fractions of a second, theory predicts that once elements reach a magic number of protons and neutrons, they become relatively stable again. Finding these magic numbers could also provide revealing clues about how atoms work.

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/quest-heaviest-elements-100312.html

[tridim]

1. I skimmed the article looking for a reason for doing this

Didn't really find anything.

Can anyone tell me what a stable heavy element is useful for practically? I'm sure there's a reason other than "because we can".

[Skink]

2. Teleportation.

don't you ever watch star trek?

[malakai2]

4. It's right up there in the OP

"but the main motivation is, we don’t understand how nuclei work out in these extreme limits"

"While most extremely heavy atoms disintegrate in fractions of a second, theory predicts that once elements reach a magic number of protons and neutrons, they become relatively stable again. Finding these magic numbers could also provide revealing clues about how atoms work."

Basic physics research.

[tridim]

5. I understand the research benefits, just looking for practical applications beyond research

Google said that there might be radiation shielding applications for these new elements. I also saw a few references to potential anti-gravity effects, which I always take with a huge grain of salt.

[laconicsax]

7. The research needs to happen before any 'practical' benefits can emerge.

There was no practical benefit to studying electricity at first. The benefits came much later.
There was no practical benefit to studying quantum mechanics at first. The benefits came much later.
There was no practical benefit to studying gravity at first. The benefits came much later.

When investigating an unknown, you have to put aside the desire for immediate gratification--it's impossible to apply knowledge that doesn't yet exist.

[tridim]

8. I'm not against this research at all, I think you misread.

I always think about future applications for new science that I read about.

It's just the way my brain works. :)

[BadgerKid]

9. One application could be source materials for particle colliders.

Maybe there will be new decay pathways and subsequent discoveries.

[yurbud]

3. and then we can use that to make armor piercing shells...

[caraher]

6. Not likely

This is pure research. In these experiments you are talking about making nuclei in quantities of tens, not 10^23. If nuclear physicists can hoodwink DOD into thinking this research can lead to weapons technology the net effect would be to divert funds away from weapons and into basic science.