At the LHC, lead ions are smashed together at extremely high speeds to create a unique state of matter called the quark gluon plasma. Normally, quarks and gluons, such as those that make up lead ions, are confined within protons and neutrons…
Image credit: Jennifer James (Vanderbilt)
Imagine going to an optician to check your vision. You are looking at a series of letters "E" in different orientations. When these letters get smaller and smaller, the horizontal lines in the "E" get closer…
Neutron stars, ultra-cold atomic gases, and the quark-gluon plasma… You may find them totally unrelated but, surprisingly enough, they share a common feature: a fluid-like state of matter containing strongly interacting particles! An insight into…
The universe is governed by four known fundamental forces: gravity, electromagnetism, the weak force, and the strong force. The strong force is responsible for dynamics on an extremely small scale, within and between the individual nucleons of…
Imagine you are at a museum. After a long day admiring the exhibitions, you are exiting the museum. But to be able to get out, you will need to exit through the gift shop. The layout of the gift shop can be set up in several ways. Maybe you can take…