Scientists have successfully transformed lead into gold without any mystical process or magic, using a cutting-edge particle accelerator called the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The breakthrough comes from understanding atomic structure and the nuclear force that holds protons together.
Lead atoms can be turned into gold by removing three protons, which are tightly bound within the nucleus. Researchers at CERN experimented with lead nuclei accelerated to near light speed and allowed them to interact with each other through intense electric fields. This interaction can cause the nuclei to emit protons, resulting in the creation of gold.
The researchers claim that 89,000 gold nuclei are created every second, but these atoms are tiny, short-lived, and not suitable for commerce. The total amount of gold produced is incredibly small – just a few trillionths of a gram – which is quickly lost as the altered atoms slam into the collider walls, weakening the beam over time.
This achievement highlights the power of physics research, although it’s more of a problem-solving exercise than a practical application.
Source: https://bgr.com/science/alchemy-is-real-and-physicists-just-turned-lead-into-gold