Physicists discovered such a powerful reaction that they were afraid to reveal it

Physicists at CERN have reported the discovery of a quark reaction that can produce several times the energy of a hydrogen bomb explosion. Scientists wondered whether to keep this information to themselves for safety reasons.

Quarks are the smallest elementary particles, components of matter. The whole world is made of them, który that surrounds us. Quarks merge on róTheoretical possibility that they could be combinedódifferent types of particles. There are six of them and they can be light or heavy. The two fundamental quarks are górny and lower. The other four are heavier and unstable. These quarks are: strange quark, alluring quark, low quark (also called beautiful quark) and high quark (also called real quark).

Researchers at CERN have discovered that low quarks can theoretically fuse together while producing about eight times more energy than when exploding the most powerful charge known to mankind – the hydrogen bomb. The physicists behind the discovery, Marek Karliner of Tel Aviv University and Jonathan Rosner of the University of Chicago, considered whether to keep the discovery a secret. Eventually, the publication appeared on the pages of the journal „Nature”.

Energy at the subatomic level is measured in megaelectron volts (MeV). Scientists have calculated the amount of energy thatóra would be released as a result of the merger of the twoóch quarksóin the low. That’s 138 MeV, while the fusion of deuterium and tritium – The fuel of the first hydrogen bomb „Ivy Mike” detonated at Enewetak atoll in 1952, the most powerful in the human arsenal to date, is 17.6 MeV.

Karlinem and Rosner wondered whether the construction of a quark bomb was possible. They also asked the opinion of other colleaguesóin the aftermath and concluded that such a payload is currently impossible to construct.

The hydrogen bomb derives its immense power from a chain reaction – The huge amount of deuterium-tritium fusion in the krótkim time. It must also have the necessary supply of fuel for such a chain reaction to occur. The physicists concluded that such a chain reaction would not be possible with quarksóin low primarily because they decay after just one picosecond (one trillionth of a second). The effect of the decay is two g quarksórne, with whichórs can’t obtain such great energy.

Such quarks can be obtained at the Large Hadron CollideróAt the (LHC) at CERN. However, at present we do not know the technology by whichóThe particles could be stored in. In addition, the amounts thatóre can be obtained at CERN would not be enough to produce a payload. However, in the future, technology may make it possible to meet the conditions for producing such fuel.

– I must admit that when I first realized that such a reaction was possible, I was horrified. If I had even for one krót a moment thought that the discovery had military applications, I would not have published it – He said in an interview with the service „Live Science” Karliner. The researcher added that the discovery is exciting because it is the first proof of theód theoretical that it is possible to combine subatomic particles in waysób, który releases energy,