Scientists Discover a Way to Turn Light Into Matter
- 10 years ago
In 1905, the famous physicist Albert Einstein theorized that light was actually a particle, which helped explain the photoelectric effect. Now, scientists at the Imperial College London in England are working to develop a photon-photon collider that might be able to turn light into matter, which is a process that also takes place during the largest explosions in the universe called gamma-ray bursts.
In 1905, the famous physicist Albert Einstein theorized that light was actually a particle, which helped explain the photoelectric effect.
Now, scientists at the Imperial College London in England are working to develop a photon-photon collider that might be able to turn light into matter, which is a process that also takes place during the largest explosions in the universe called gamma-ray bursts.
The idea is based on a theory from 1934, which claimed that when two photons, or light particles, smash together, it would create matter in the form of an electron and a positron.
Professor Steven Rose from the Department of Physics at the Imperial College London is quoted as saying: “What was so surprising to us was the discovery of how we can create matter directly from light using the technology that we have today in the UK. As we are theorists, we are now talking to others who can use our ideas to undertake this landmark experiment.”
There are reportedly at least three facilities that have the necessary technological equipment to make the process work, and the researchers from Imperial College London expect to start conducting their experiment in about a year.
In 1905, the famous physicist Albert Einstein theorized that light was actually a particle, which helped explain the photoelectric effect.
Now, scientists at the Imperial College London in England are working to develop a photon-photon collider that might be able to turn light into matter, which is a process that also takes place during the largest explosions in the universe called gamma-ray bursts.
The idea is based on a theory from 1934, which claimed that when two photons, or light particles, smash together, it would create matter in the form of an electron and a positron.
Professor Steven Rose from the Department of Physics at the Imperial College London is quoted as saying: “What was so surprising to us was the discovery of how we can create matter directly from light using the technology that we have today in the UK. As we are theorists, we are now talking to others who can use our ideas to undertake this landmark experiment.”
There are reportedly at least three facilities that have the necessary technological equipment to make the process work, and the researchers from Imperial College London expect to start conducting their experiment in about a year.