Gold's wobbly nucleus: What the short-lived Au187 isotope teaches us about fundamental science research
Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - 09:10
in Physics & Chemistry
As Earth rotates along its axis, it wobbles a little bit. This wobbling comes, in part, from how mass is distributed across the planet. Nuclear physics researchers have now observed this same type of wobbling in Au187—a gold isotope that lives for just eight minutes. Fundamental science research like this can lead to major breakthroughs in a range of fields, including medical care.