Pyramids, dark matter & the Big Bang theory - What’s holding our universe together? | DW Documentary
DW Documentary・22 minutes read
The universe's composition, from elementary particles to proton collisions, is explored at research centers like DESY in Hamburg and CERN in Geneva, with advancements in technology aiding in discoveries like the Higgs boson. Ongoing experiments, such as transforming photons into axions to detect dark matter, showcase the significance of particle physics in unraveling the mysteries of the universe.
Insights
- Elementary particles like electrons, quarks, and gluons are the building blocks of everything in the universe, from atoms to ourselves, and the study of these particles helps reconstruct the beginning of space and time, similar to the Big Bang, shedding light on the fundamental nature of our existence.
- Particle physics research centers like DESY in Hamburg and CERN in Geneva are at the forefront of studying elementary particles, with experiments aiming to uncover mysteries such as dark matter, showcasing the critical role of these facilities in advancing our understanding of the universe and potentially making groundbreaking discoveries that could reshape our scientific and philosophical perspectives.
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Recent questions
What are elementary particles?
Tiny particles composing everything in the universe.
Where is the largest accelerator in Germany located?
The HERA accelerator is in Hamburg.
Who discovered X-rays?
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays.
What is the Large Hadron Collider used for?
The Large Hadron Collider studies elementary particles.
How do muons aid in imaging structures?
Muons penetrate stone masses to reveal internal structures.
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Summary
00:00
Unraveling Universe: From Atoms to Higgs Boson
- Everything in our universe, including ourselves, is composed of elementary particles like electrons, quarks, and gluons found within atoms.
- DESY in Hamburg is a significant physics research center with over 2,000 scientists from 40 countries working there.
- The HERA accelerator in Hamburg is the largest in Germany, requiring safety measures like oxygen units for entry.
- Particle collisions at DESY aim to reconstruct the beginning of space and time, akin to the Big Bang.
- The history of elementary particles dates back to ancient Greek debates, with atoms being called "indivisible" by Democritus.
- Protons and neutrons were proven to consist of quarks and gluons in the 20th century, leading to the standard model of particle physics.
- The Neues Museum in Berlin uses X-ray technology to decipher ancient papyri without damaging them physically.
- X-rays, discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, are crucial in non-destructive testing and imaging, revealing different materials' densities.
- The Zuse Institute in Berlin developed software to virtually unfold papyrus packets, allowing for the reading of ancient texts without physical opening.
- CERN in Geneva houses the Large Hadron Collider, where researchers study elementary particles and forces, culminating in the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012.
19:14
Particle Physics: Unveiling Mysteries of the Universe
- In an underground computer room, data from the CMS detector is received, where 100 billion protons are shot at each other in 40 million packets per second.
- Each collision of protons releases hundreds or thousands of particles, recorded by the detector and digitized in the room.
- Researchers from Japan and France are using particle physics to study the 3 pyramids of Giza since 2015, revealing hidden chambers without moving stones.
- Muons, formed in the atmosphere, penetrate stone masses and reveal internal pyramid structures without damaging them.
- Muon imaging discovered a 30-meter chamber in the Great Pyramid in 2017 and is used in Fukushima nuclear reactor inspections and volcanology.
- Cell phones operate based on particle physics, using electromagnetic waves and photons for communication.
- At the Bernhard Nocht Institute, scientists research dangerous pathogens like Bunya viruses, decoding their molecular structure for potential drug development.
- Protein crystals are grown for X-ray analysis, with conditions for crystallization met through careful cell culture preparation.
- X-ray crystallography at DESY's PETRA 3 accelerator in Hamburg allows for precise protein structure determination, aiding drug development.
- Particle physicists at DESY in Hamburg analyze data from CERN's CMS experiment, searching for dark matter, which makes up 85% of the universe's matter.
38:49
"Transforming photons into axions to detect dark matter"
- A new experiment aims to detect dark matter by transforming photons into axions in a micro chamber with a strong magnetic field, where the axions can pass through walls and be transformed back into photons for detection, with the hope of finding a few photons per day to confirm the existence of dark matter.
- The success of the ALPS experiment is crucial in potentially discovering dark matter, with the hope that the numerous particle physics experiments worldwide will lead to groundbreaking discoveries, highlighting the importance of researching elementary particles to understand the origins of the universe and the fundamental questions of philosophy.
