This giant laser can simulate a planet’s core
Ғылым және технология
How do you study the innards of alien worlds? You just need the world’s largest laser.
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As astronomers search for life outside our solar system, they have to try and answer one big question: What’s the recipe for a habitable planet? We tend to think about the ingredients we encounter every day: liquid water, the protective blanket of the atmosphere, a sun that is neither too warm nor too hot. But there are other factors that are probably equally important: Earth’s cooled and hardened crust, its gooey molten guts, its magnetic field, its volcanoes and deep sea vents. These are the features that fostered life as we know it - they were shaped by unseen processes hidden deep within the globe.
In short, if we want to learn how life could arise on other planets, we need to know what’s going on under the hood.
But that’s easier said than done. As you drill down into a planet, temperatures and pressures quickly rise. Scientists and their tools wouldn’t survive a few dozen miles down, let alone a few thousand. So how can they study the insides of planets?
Enter NIF and OMEGA - by some measure, the two largest lasers in the world. They inhabit large warehouse-style buildings, and focus scores of intense laser beams onto the head of a pin. When facilities like these were first imagined, the goal was to create nuclear fusion - but planetary scientists quickly realized they could be used to investigate matter under core-like conditions.
The last decade has seen a flood of experiments - and the results have been bizarre. Nickel, a metal that conducts electricity, turns into an insulator. Water forms a hot, conductive ice. Hydrogen becomes a metallic fluid. Sodium, normally a shiny opaque metal, goes completely clear. These startling insights are helping scientists understand how planets form, and how they might evolve to support life.
Presented by the Center for Matter at Atomic Pressures (CMAP) at the University of Rochester,
a National Science Foundation (NSF) Physics Frontier Center, Award PHY-2020249 www.rochester.edu/cmap
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation.
Further reading:
The Materials Scientist Who Studies the Innards of Exoplanets
www.quantamagazine.org/federi...
Tanja Kovačević’s 2022 study of rock and ice mixing inside exoplanets:
www.nature.com/articles/s4159...
Rick Kraus’s 2022 study of iron inside Super Earths:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/s...
What’s Happening In The Depths Of Distant Worlds?
epl.carnegiescience.edu/news/...
Everything you always wanted to know about metallic hydrogen but were afraid to ask
aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10...
NIF scientists observe metallic hydrogen
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/s...
OMEGA research on sodium under extreme pressures
www.nature.com/articles/s4146...
OMEGA research on Jupiter’s hydrogen oceans
www.nature.com/articles/s4158...
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Пікірлер: 508
Incredibly impressed by the way the concepts were broken down into manageable chunks, including going through the background to lead the audience to why we use lasers and how that experimental method falls in contrast to others. Masterful.
@SimonsAuntPhyllis
Жыл бұрын
Vox is usually pretty good at that, and I'm pretty sure they won some awards for it on their "Missing Chapter" series. Or at least got nominated for one.
Wow! Adam Cole (Triple threat - animator, songwriter, host,) needs a raise - along with everyone else involved! I would think that this type of video takes a lot more time and money to do - And I have started to notice that other channels are beginning to put the same sort of increased effort into making fewer but better videos - I think this is a great trend if it continues. Awesome work everyone!
@l.s.d.8943
Жыл бұрын
Literally the perfect example of “Quality over Quantity”
@vincentd.9171
Жыл бұрын
I thought you meant the wrestler and I was slightly confused for a moment
@TheHENpp
Жыл бұрын
@@vincentd.9171 bay bay
@leif1075
Жыл бұрын
Is he really? I like your name btw!
@ogr81ofpoco77
Жыл бұрын
Ithought the song at the end was an oldFrank Zappa!gem Inever heard before🥷
I've loved Vox videos for ages - this one blows most of them out of the water! Just a succinct, enjoyable, understandable demonstration of an EXTREMELY complex topic. Great work 👏🏻
loved the nif jingle edit: and the visuals towards the end when they were explaining the experiment in the amphitheater
@kevink1575
Жыл бұрын
7:33 Loved the visuals as well.
@engineeringvision9507
Жыл бұрын
The play the same jingle before nuking cities. *May not be entirely accurate
Astrophysics major here! This video is freaking amazing and I really appreciate how accessible it is, great work Vox
"As big as three football fields" For Christ's sake, America, what does that mean in *normal* measurements?
@niamhcosgrave9545
Жыл бұрын
america measures things in football fields, empire state buildings, elephants and olympic swimming pools
@arry5276
Жыл бұрын
Just googled it, it's ~19.5 kilometers.
@matveyregentov713
Жыл бұрын
@@arry5276 what? It’s at most 0.329km. Or 0.146km if we stack them like in the video
@thedemolitionsexpertsledge5552
Жыл бұрын
@@arry5276 one football field: 91m x 64m or 300 feet by 210 feet
@blessed_bacon3776
Жыл бұрын
I'm a American. And I still don't know what that means.
We need more videos like this!
Any discussion of NIF has to include that its purpose is not fusion energy, but nuclear weapons research - after the test ban treaty, experiments that replicate the conditions inside bombs were the only way to continue testing and/or developing nuclear weapons.
@pietromarilac
Жыл бұрын
Yep, was thinking about it.
@dking6297a
Жыл бұрын
And thank goodness too - they would never have gotten the money otherwise to do their research
@poppachoppa8956
Жыл бұрын
they briefly mentioned it but did not give details
@bhakti235
Жыл бұрын
yup. and the defense department invented some of the tech required for the internet. you know, in case there was a nuclear war and all the military command centers couldn't talk to each other.
@engineeringvision9507
Жыл бұрын
Good purpose. Both left and right wing voters are getting value from it. May their nukes be large and numerous.
This was so beautifuly done, congrats to the motion graphics designer
What a wonderfully produced video. I’m amazed at how well everything was translated to us. Great job!
The end track is to good, love it need the full thing
@gyvvard
Жыл бұрын
Definitely a hit single!
@JustTriggy
Жыл бұрын
What’s the song ?
@lap773
Жыл бұрын
Likewise!
@chandlerbing3894
Жыл бұрын
Walking down the street by Bruno hovart
IT'S GOOD QUESTION GUY! Man I can't believe I'd forgotten his content, he taught me how to find the speed of light! With peeps! And a microwave! And a little bit of physics (just a little bit!)
Just as you think Vox had reached the peak editing of KZread informative videos, they go a step further
as a teacher it gives me warm fuzzies that the one scientist interviewed quoted a single phrase from her second grade teacher that sparked her entire career
*THE SUN IS A DEADLY LASER*
I love the way you made the intro music & sounds synced with the explanation 😂
Ah yes, 3 football fields. The freedom units of America.
@rickmorty7284
Жыл бұрын
😂😂😂😂
Adam Cole is for sure elevating his niche of Vox content to a new level. Standing on the shoulders of giants with his team who've been doing this for some time (Joss/Mona/Dion), and all the more impressive for it. Fantastic work, keep this up!
One of the most entertaining, informing, and enjoyable Vox clips i have seen in a minute. Awesome job!
This is a great explainer! You got the scientists themselves, awesome animation of actual science, and you managed to take one tiny-sized experiment and enlarge it in a way that everyone can understand it. Please produce more videos like this! As an Earth-sciences student, I feel like I gained important knowledge from this video.
It's always a pleasure and a privilege to watch extraordinary scientists talk about very complex topics that they are passionate about in a way that some layman like me could understand. The amazing storytelling and animations help a lot as well! Just impressive from all aspects!
I've been to NIF so many times on family visit days and every time is so interesting. They actually recently completed their initial goal of ignition, or the best their facility can do, and the tests are changing. A family friend used to work on the targets and explained them to me once years ago for an interview. The targets really are mind bogglingly tiny, as small as a hair like in the video, but they have layers of materials to help the reaction move forward! This video was such an interesting blast from the past for me, wonderful job vox!
This is one of the best examples of the type of presentation I came to love from Vox that breaks down complicated topics. Excellent job on this one even the song at the end!
Vox, i love your channel so much. My ADHD doesnt let me focus on classes, research papers, etc. but this is both informational and entertaining enough to keep my attention. And the editing omg!! Whoever decided on the jingle for "NIF! :D" deserves a raise and a hug. So good.
*NIF!* Man this video production was so good. Love the style of it!
The animations were great in this one, kudos!
Love everything you make Adam! Super interesting, great audio, great visuals, great editing. More please!
Great video :) Thanks. Everyone focuses only on the NIF result for the fusion, but nobody was so far explaining the experiments and details like this video.
Oh man that's awesome! I do high pressure laser compression experiments so it's really cool to see it featured on a channel like this!
cant help but to comment again how i love this video, it's very well produced, edited, explained, broken down and presented. kudos to all the staff including the host of this video. wishing to see more of him soon! good job vox!
So well explained! Had me glued to the screen. And the music was just perfect!!
Very informative video. Love the content. Thank you for keeping us up to date with the latest info out there.
Man, I'm obsessed with that end credits song. Adam, we need this diamond track on Spotify please!
this was one of the best vox videos i've ever watched - so funny yet so informative
this is extremely well edited! more videos like this please
Loved the editing!
Excellent video. Concepts presented well, good visuals, charming presenter, amusing without being cheese. Kudos!
Loved the video! Also the song that Adam did, was real good and chill
Wow! That was so informative and fun, love that y'all included the Star Trek bit. Great job guys!
One of the best graphics works I have seen in years. Must have went a lot sweat in making this video. Keep producing such content. We love you.
The editing and choice of music is amazing
This was totally great. Makes what am sure is a very complex topic extremely relatable.
One of the most impressive videos I've seen so far. Immaculate job
This video is absolutely amazing!! Keep them coming 🙌
Coolest format I have seen in a Vox video, congratulations! Thanks for the lesson.
Vox never disappoints! Awesome work as always!
Thanks Vox for making great videos.
The illustration work is seriously top notch!
This was incredible! Amazing video!!
this is such an amazing video, the subtle humor, songs, the graphics, presentation and the *NIF* tune hahaha
Really enjoyed the video, especially the kind of hopefull mood thought-out it
This video was absolutely amazing, super informative and I loved the song at the end with the credits, props to the team!
That editing is so good oml
Awesome video! Well done!
this is absolutely incredible. brilliant animation work!
I often just watch vox videos just because the qaulity and style of production is just so wonderously enjoyable. It's even better that this channel seems to exclusively cover subjects that I happen to also be interested in.
Beutiful video Vox! Congratulations to the the production team. Bravo!🙌
I loved everything about this video! Well done Vox!
Truly beautiful explanation. Thank you vox 💛
That was totally awesome. Great work!
Brilliant animator and fantastic break-down!
Adam Cole teaching us (scientists) how science communication to the general audience should be done. Great job!
Loved this episode!
Good job Vox. Excellent video.
Exceptional motion graphics and sound design on this video! Big props to Adam Cole and the Vox team 👏👏👏
Incredible video, thank you so much!
Incredible research and production on this subject matter! Thank You
This is so well done!
Amazing production!
The animations in this video felt different than in other Vox videos: I really loved them
Wow great video and *amazing animation and graphics.* Adam Cole definitely needs a raise.
@domramsey
Жыл бұрын
And music and producing and presenting and writing.
Some great illustrations and animations in this video
Loved the production of this video. Keep it up Vox. We love you. Also, a message from 7 year old me: MORE MORE MORE
I like the style (and substance) of those videos.
what was the song at the end?
Good job on this video. Just the right level!
I’m used to Vox bringing excellent videos which cover a wide array of interesting content…. But the outro for this video 🔥🔥🔥🔥 fire.
Best episode yall have made in YEARS
One of vox’s best videos yet. Well done team
great topic, great presentation, I really liked it
great content!
Best Vox video I’ve seen in a while!
Amazing video, I love the ending song.
Very cool video!
This was hands down the most beautiful Vox episode ever!
Wow. Wow. That was just so incredibly awesome, impressive, mind-blowing!! The things that some humans can frkn manage to figure out leaves me humbled, excited and speechless. I’m so envious of what knowledge people will have 100 years from now… (permitting we don’t destroy ourselves before then)
Great editing
The nerdy groove at the end....I tip my hat to you Sir Cole. Btw, can I get some of that on my playlist?
Nice production.
This song at the ending got me, well played.
@Vox where could I listen to the song from the outro? It is magnificent! :)
Loved the song at the end.
That's really awesome!
Hey is it possible that a link could be posted to the song at the end? I absolutely love it haha. I’d love to jam out to some science/engineering tunes 🤓
Top quality production!
That outro music is a jam! I need it as a single, or something...
Pozdrav za Tanju, svaka cast!! :)
This song at the end NEEDS a download
What a great video. Makes me want to get into that field for a career
Love that song at the end. Is that released in full anywhere?