Atomic nuclei exhibit multiple energy scales simultaneously—ranging from hundreds down to fractions of a megaelectronvolt. A new study demonstrates that these drastically different scales can be ...

I read with great interest the article by Katherine Bourzac “Divining the Mysteries of the Atomic Nucleus” in the Jan. 29, 2024, issue of C&EN (page 30). Curious readers might like to know that an ...

Physicists working with molybdenum-84, a nucleus containing exactly 42 protons and 42 neutrons, have found that this seemingly balanced atom defies one of nuclear physics’ longest-standing ...

A research collaboration has examined how the nucleus of nickel-64 reacts when exposed to energy. A new paper sheds light on the nature of atomic nuclei. Everything in the universe, from the largest ...

Findings in nuclear physics theory have received several Nobel Prizes (1975-nucleus vibrations and rotations, 1963-nuclear shell model, 1949-meson exchange model of nuclear forces). Despite these ...

The atomic nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons, particles that exist through the interaction of quarks bonded by gluons. It would seem, therefore, that it should not be difficult to reproduce ...

A new measurement of the strong nuclear force, which binds protons and neutrons together, confirms previous hints of an uncomfortable truth: We still don’t have a solid theoretical grasp of even the ...

Nuclear science is many things: it’s powerful, it’s potentially dangerous, and it’s ultimately still not totally understood by scientists — at least when it comes to its constituent parts. Controlling ...

The discovery of nuclear fission is one of the most profound scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century, reshaping physics, unlocking the power of the atomic nucleus, and setting the stage for both ...

Massive neutron stars colliding in space are thought to be able to create precious metals such as gold and platinum. The properties of these stars are still an enigma, but the answer may lie beneath ...

For the first time, quarks and gluons were used to describe properties of atomic nuclei, which until now had been explained by the existence of protons and neutrons. The temporary pair of correlated ...