Nature builds particle accelerators far more powerful than anything humans have ever created
In short: Humans have spent over a century building machines to accelerate particles to nearly the speed of light. Yet, these engineering marvels are dwarfed by natural phenomena. This video explores four instances where the universe naturally accelerates particles to extreme velocities, surpassing our own technological capabilities.
While human-made particle accelerators have successfully pushed particles to speeds exceeding 99.9999% of the speed of light, they remain modest compared to the cosmic engines found in nature. These natural accelerators operate on scales and with energies that human technology cannot currently replicate.
The video examines these high-energy environments, drawing on expertise from researchers at institutions including the University of New Hampshire, the British Antarctic Survey, and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. By studying these phenomena, scientists gain insight into the fundamental forces that shape the universe, from the dynamics of thunderstorms to the immense gravity of black holes.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: From Thunderstorms to Black Holes: 4 Natural Particle Accelerators
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