Physicists are pushing the boundaries of their most important theories by subjecting them to extreme conditions. In a recent report in Nature, physicist Robert Lötzsch and his team demonstrate that the predictions of quantum electrodynamics (QED) hold true even in the presence of extremely strong electromagnetic fields. QED is a fundamental part of the standard model of particle physics, making it crucial to test its validity in all possible scenarios. To test QED’s capabilities, Lötzsch and his colleagues turned to uranium, a nucleus with a powerful electric field almost a million times stronger than that of a hydrogen nucleus. By stripping uranium of all but two of its 92 electrons, they created an ion with a field much stronger than any that can be produced by humans. This “helium-like uranium” ion provides valuable insights into the behavior of QED under extreme conditions.
2024-01-31 10:00:00
Originally from www.sciencenews.org