Z Machine

AP Photo/Sandia National Laboratories, Randy Montoya

Hey! I gotta get lion kitty one of these!

Lab Heats Particles Past Star's Interior

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A particle accelerator at Sandia National Laboratories has heated a swarm of charged particles to a record 2 billion degrees Kelvin, a temperature beyond that of a star's interior.

Scientists working with Sandia's Z machine said the feat also revealed a new phenomenon that could eventually make future nuclear fusion power plants smaller and cheaper to operate than if the plants relied on previously known physics.

"At first, we were disbelieving," said Chris Deeney, head of the project. "We repeated the experiment many times to make sure we had a true result and not an 'Oops'!"

This is a huge, huge deal. The pretty picture is just a bonus.

Incidentally- everytime you see an interesting science story, remember that chimpy and his cohorts don't believe in science and that they've consistently short changed support of basic science in the federal budget. Prayer doesn't get you scientific breakthroughs. Investment dollars do.