Re:Physicists may now have a way to make element 120
by stouset on Wednesday July 24, 2024 @02:41PM
(#41060315)
Ah yes, good ol’ element unnil^{54}ium, a proton star. That would make a great “Things I Won’t Work With” entry for Derek Lowe.
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Re:Physicists may now have a way to make element 120
by LeifCarrotson on Wednesday July 24, 2024 @03:00PM
(#41060578)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't nuclear-density collapsed matter stars exclusively zero-net-charge neutron stars? I suppose you could instantiate an "oops all protons" neutron star with a charge of 10^54 coulombs in Universe Sandbox, but I struggle to imagine how that would come to or continue to exist physically.
More importantly, I think that the Coulomb's Law repulsion effect would more than cancel out the gravitational attraction effect - both laws work as Force = (constant x particle1 x particle2) / distance^2, and the electromagnetic force is much, much stronger than gravity at all distances.
Re:Physicists may now have a way to make element 120
by stouset on Wednesday July 24, 2024 @05:33PM
(#41062391)
Look I never said it was a good idea.
Re:Physicists may now have a way to make element 120
by KMag on Wednesday July 24, 2024 @09:46PM
(#41064021)
I think it would stabilize via a combination of electron capture and positron emission converting most of the protons into neutrons.
Re:Physicists may now have a way to make element 120
by dmd on Wednesday July 24, 2024 @04:05PM
(#41061412)
xkcd what if covered it: https://what-if.xkcd.com/140/
Re:Physicists may now have a way to make element 120
by lkuty on Thursday July 25, 2024 @01:23AM
(#41064978)
The "desktop particle accelerator" is excellent. I wondered what?? Clicked on the link and then yes indeed didn't think of it :-) Love xkcd and his what-ifs.