Researchers at the University of Copenhagen and CERN have successfully recreated quark-gluon plasma—the primordial state of matter that filled the Universe during its first millionth of a second—using oxygen-16 and neon-20 atomic nuclei. According to the study published in Physical Review Letters by the international ALICE collaboration, this breakthrough proves that atomic nuclei far smaller than previously assumed can generate the extreme conditions of a miniature Big Bang, challenging long-held assumptions in nuclear physics.
CERN ALICE Collaboration Recreates Mini Big Bang With Light Nuclei
Deep beneath the Swiss countryside at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists accelerated atomic nuclei to nearly the speed of light to recreate the extreme conditions of the early cosmos. According to researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute working within the international ALICE collaboration, traditional physics dogma dictated that producing quark-gluon plasma required heavy atomic projectiles like lead.
By substituting lead with much lighter isotopes—specifically oxygen-16 and neon-20—the team demonstrated that smaller projectiles can generate the exact same foundational substance.
How Particle Motion Reveals Nuclear Geometry and Atomic Shape
Observing quark-gluon plasma directly remains impossible because the substance is remarkably brief.
The collision pattern acts as an optical instrument that translates subatomic dynamics into visible architecture.
Bridging Nuclear Physics and Cosmology Through High-Energy Collisions
For more than 70 years, physicists have investigated the shapes and internal structures of atomic nuclei using relatively low-energy experiments, such as measuring how atomic nuclei rotate and vibrate. The new research turns that strategy around by using the highest energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider to reconstruct nuclear shapes from the patterns left behind.
“A precise understanding of nuclear structure helps us understand the strong force. Supported by the ERC InitialConditions project, this methodology connects high-energy particle physics with nuclear structure research.”
Did You Know?
Aage Bohr received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1975 for his pioneering work on the structure of the atomic nucleus, a legacy that continues to influence modern research at the Niels Bohr Institute.
Next Steps for Light Atomic Nuclei Research
Determining that specific boundary is one of the next major goals for the research team.
The ALICE collaboration plans to conduct additional experiments using even lighter atomic nuclei, including helium-4.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is quark-gluon plasma?
Quark-gluon plasma is an extraordinary state of matter where quarks and gluons moved freely before organizing into protons and neutrons, believed to have filled the Universe during its first millionth of a second.
Why were oxygen and neon used instead of lead?
While scientists previously thought producing quark-gluon plasma required heavy nuclei like lead, researchers at CERN successfully proved that lighter isotopes like oxygen-16 and neon-20 can also generate the primordial material.
How do physicists measure the shape of atomic nuclei in these collisions?
Physicists measure the trajectory and movement patterns of particles left behind as the plasma disintegrates. Different nuclear shapes leave distinct imprints, such as rounded patterns for oxygen and bowling-pin shapes for neon.
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