This is the slowest radioactive decay ever spotted

Science News ^ | 4/24/19 | Maria Temming

[LibWhacker]

It takes 1 trillion times the age of the universe for a xenon-124 sample to shrink by half

For the first time, researchers have directly observed an exotic type of radioactive decay called two-neutrino double electron capture.

The decay, seen in xenon-124 atoms, happens so sparingly that it would take 18 sextillion years (18 followed by 21 zeros) for a sample of xenon-124 to shrink by half, making the decay extremely difficult to detect. The long-anticipated observation of two-neutrino double electron capture, reported in the April 25 Nature, lays the groundwork for researchers to glimpse a yet unseen, even rarer version of this decay: neutrinoless double electron capture.

Observing that process would confirm that subatomic particles called neutrinos are their own antimatter particles, which could help resolve the mystery of why our universe is made almost entirely of matter, rather than antimatter (SN: 3/17/18, p. 14).

“It’s been quite the buzz within the community that this result is coming out,” says Lindley Winslow, a physicist at MIT not involved in the work.

[freedumb2003]

>>It takes 1 trillion times the age of the universe for a xenon-124 sample to shrink by half<<

They used a Texas DMV as a measuring control.

[ClearCase_guy]

neutrinoless double electron capture

[Ezekiel]

two-neutrino double electron capture<<<

Doubles as a great name for a band.

[The Antiyuppie]

“...18 sextillion years (18 followed by 21 zeros) for a sample of xenon-124 to shrink by half...”

And Hillary Clinton will STILL not be in jail.

[thoughtomator]

or a Pikachu special

[Delta 21]

How do you get a gig setting around waiting 16 septillion years to watch a neutrino get recaptured?

[Dave Wright]

Another demonstration of the quantum theory axiom that if something is not impossible it must happen...eventually. The decay requires the generation of W bosons which have too much mass to allow it to happen except for some ridiculously improbable fluctuation of the vacuum state energy. Every so often the ridiculous happens and BOOM...you do the improbable and decay.

[thoughtomator]

So you’re saying there’s hope for genetically engineered catgirls.

[Getready]

Doesnt it mean that radioactive decay is not random but depends on physical processes? If you can somehow force two electrons into the nucleus of Xenon could you speed up decay rates?

[moviefan8]

Paging Lloyd Christmas.

Unfortunately I am on a phone now so I can’t post a picture of him saying there is a chance.

[C210N]

two-neutrino double electron capture<<< Doubles as a great name for a band.

Triples as a special dare, more daunting than the dog dare:

Two-Neutrino Double Electron Capture Dare

[LibWhacker]

I don’t know. But if you find one, see if you can talk them into hiring me too, okay?

However, these billionaires tend to be pretty crafty old guys; instead of hoping for the best and hiring some physicists to watch a microgram of xenon-124 for septillions or octillions of years, they paid them to study three metric tons of it for a couple of years, damn them! Sigh... Oh, well, I guess that’s why they’re rich and I’m not.

[LibWhacker]

In nature it’s random. As you point out, you could probably also force it. But that would be a little self-defeating here since one of the objectives was to determine the half-life. imo

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks LibWhacker.

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[Getready]

I think you are assuming that matter when left alone by us is “natural”...but matter is always interacting with other forces so it is never truly in a pristine unaffected state....the implication of altering the decay rate could be that we can speed up dangerous radioactive decay in a controlled environment and therefore render safe, formerly radioactive waste..

[Bullish]

two-neutrino double electron captures walked into a bar...

[Equine1952]

Hey are you going to finish the story or were the neutrinos going so fast I missed it?

[A strike]

Well I guess that quantum theory axiom really equates to nothing is impossible.

[Bob434]

[[two-neutrino double electron captures]]

I’ll take a two-neutrino double electron captures latte with sugar please