Modern-day alchemy! Scientists turn lead into gold at the Large Hadron Collider

image via Space.com

May 13, 2025, 10:00 AM

• •Researchers at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have observed the transmutation of lead into gold.
• •This transformation occurs through near-miss interactions between atomic nuclei, generating intense electromagnetic fields.
• •The LHC can produce up to 89,000 gold nuclei per second, but the gold is extremely short-lived.
• •The results improve theoretical models of electromagnetic dissociation, which are used to understand beam losses in colliders.

Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have achieved a modern-day form of alchemy, transmuting lead into gold. This transformation happens through the near-miss interactions of atomic nuclei, creating intense electromagnetic fields. Although the LHC can produce a substantial number of gold nuclei per second, the gold atoms are incredibly short-lived, existing for only a fraction of a second before breaking apart. This research enhances models of electromagnetic dissociation and helps understand beam losses in particle colliders.

Read original article