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Atom Smasher Yields 'Perfect Fluid'
LA Times ^ | April 19, 2005 | Thomas H. Maugh II

Posted on 04/19/2005 2:26:32 PM PDT by neverdem

The unexpected finding could provide insight into the creation of the universe, scientists say.

Researchers smashing gold atoms together to mimic conditions in the first microseconds after the creation of the universe have observed an unexpected new state of matter.

Instead of the thin, fiery gas of quarks and gluons that they expected, they found instead a dense drop of the elementary particles that behaves like a hitherto unseen "perfect fluid."

It is "a truly stunning finding," said Raymond L. Orbach, director of the Department of Energy's Office of Science.

Quarks are the fundamental building blocks of protons, neutrons and other subatomic particles, held together in pairs and triplets by mysterious particles called gluons, whose attractive force is so overwhelming that neither quarks nor gluons have ever been seen separated from one another in nature.

When the universe was created, however, it consisted only of a massive swarm of gluons and quarks, a so-called quark-gluon plasma, which quickly condensed into conventional matter.

Four separate international teams now believe that they have created a small, short-lived quark-gluon plasma whose behavior will provide insights into the moments after the big bang that started everything off.

"We think we are looking at a phenomenon [similar to what happened] in the universe 13 billion years ago when free quarks and gluons … cooled down to the particles that we know today," said Sam Aronson of Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y., where the experiments were performed.

Aronson spoke Monday at a news conference at a meeting of the American Physical Society in Florida, where the results were presented.

"The matter that they are seeing is even more interesting … than we thought it would be," said theoretical physicist Berndt Mueller of Duke University. "They have presented a compelling case for the achievement of an...

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Technical; US: New York
KEYWORDS: bigbang; brookhaven; fluidmechanics; gluons; physics; quarks; science
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To: Fitzcarraldo
Cleanup needed in aisle 25.

Another unwanted spillover from the Religion threads.

41 posted on 04/19/2005 3:49:36 PM PDT by RightWingAtheist (Creationism is not conservative!)
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To: neverdem

Atom Smasher Yields 'Perfect Fluid'
=======

Kinda like what Ann Coulter does to liberals !!! ;-))


42 posted on 04/19/2005 3:50:51 PM PDT by GeekDejure ( LOL = Liberals Obey Lucifer !!! -- Impeach Greer !!!.)
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To: tet68

I don't deprive women of my company, Mandrake, but I do deprive them of my essence.


43 posted on 04/19/2005 3:52:32 PM PDT by Petronski (Pope Benedict XVI: A German Shephard on the Throne of Peter)
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To: PatrickHenry

Unfortunately, that one was quickly overrun by biblical literalists, and those of us interested in seriously discussing the topic soon lost interest.


44 posted on 04/19/2005 3:52:36 PM PDT by RightWingAtheist (Creationism is not conservative!)
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To: RadioAstronomer; RightWhale; Dawsonville_Doc

ping


45 posted on 04/19/2005 3:55:03 PM PDT by King Prout (blast and char it among fetid buzzard guts!)
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To: Ignatius J Reilly
Talking heads at the company say they did it because their customers wanted a lower proof drink, yea right.

The fact that the suits passed this off is laughable! Can't you just see the throngs of hardened, grizzled JD drinkers petitioning the company to please put less booze in their product?

I'd have more respect if they just came right out and said that they would save millions of $$$ a year lowering the proof and few would notice.

46 posted on 04/19/2005 3:56:15 PM PDT by Drew68
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To: RightWingAtheist

They'll have the sun orbiting the Earth, where it belongs, in no time.


47 posted on 04/19/2005 3:57:18 PM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: R. Scott

Ah, ye old black and tan.


48 posted on 04/19/2005 4:04:40 PM PDT by Yo-Yo
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To: neverdem

(Gen 1:1 NKJV) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.


49 posted on 04/19/2005 4:13:49 PM PDT by razorbak
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To: Pan_Yan

ping


50 posted on 04/19/2005 4:14:44 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife (" It is not true that life is one damn thing after another-it's one damn thing over and over." ESV)
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To: al baby
I'll see your bottle of Absolut and raise you a jug of 16 year-old The Macallan scotch.
51 posted on 04/19/2005 4:46:31 PM PDT by IonImplantGuru (Give me heaven... or a 637!)
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To: IonImplantGuru

Single-malt ping.


52 posted on 04/19/2005 4:53:57 PM PDT by Father Jack (Confused, Stupid, and Documented)
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To: Father Jack
Single-malt ping.

As my dear departed pappy used to say about the 16 yr old stuff: "Ahhhh yes! Old enough for a driver's licens in most states!"

53 posted on 04/19/2005 5:23:04 PM PDT by IonImplantGuru (Give me heaven... or a 637!)
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To: WoofDog123

Can't solve Guinness but sugar Coke is available right now at any supermarket that sells Kosher for Passover stuff. Can't use corn syrup during Passover.

Stock up on cans, the bottles lose fizz.


54 posted on 04/19/2005 5:33:31 PM PDT by From many - one.
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To: neverdem

So, is evo soup is being served?


55 posted on 04/19/2005 6:08:02 PM PDT by Treader (Hillary's dark smile is a reminder of Stalin's inhuman grin)
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To: neverdem

What the Quark is a Gluon, for crying out loud?


56 posted on 04/19/2005 6:46:13 PM PDT by RatRipper
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To: PatrickHenry

Fluids have mechanical properties, like gases and liquids, except most liquids can't be compressed, IIRC.


57 posted on 04/19/2005 7:13:41 PM PDT by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: Fitzcarraldo
Does this imply that the string theory version predicting only mini-black holes are generated at high energies (instead of exotic particles) is correct?

You are in the wrong forum for that question.

58 posted on 04/19/2005 7:33:48 PM PDT by psychoknk
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To: psychoknk; Physicist

There is at least one guy at FR (Physicist) who can address this. We are not completely bereft of expertise here LOL.


59 posted on 04/19/2005 7:41:03 PM PDT by Fitzcarraldo
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To: Yo-Yo
"Atom Smasher Yields 'Perfect Fluid'

Imagine that. Using a particle accelerator to make Guinness Draught

BRILLIANT!

60 posted on 04/19/2005 7:57:25 PM PDT by Ethrane ("semper consolar")
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