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First Observations of Short-lived Pear-shaped Atomic Nuclei

Posted by Soulskill on from the sounds-delicious dept.

An anonymous reader sends this quote from a press release at CERN: "An international team at the ISOLDE radioactive-beam facility at CERN has shown that some atomic nuclei can assume asymmetric, 'pear' shapes (abstract). The observations contradict some existing nuclear theories and will require others to be amended. ... Most nuclei have the shape of a rugby ball. While state-of-the-art theories are able to predict this behaviour, the same theories have predicted that for some particular combinations of protons and neutrons, nuclei can also assume asymmetric shapes, like a pear. In this case there is more mass at one end of the nucleus than the other."

6 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. Followed shortly after by "muffin top" electrons by Picass0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not to mention the "poor self esteem" and "great personality" protons

  2. Pear shaped? by DougOtto · · Score: 3, Funny

    It must have gotten married.

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    Solving Unix problems since 1989...
    1. Re:Pear shaped? by snadrus · · Score: 3, Funny

      ... the entanglement theory.

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      Science & open-source build trust from peer review. Learn systems you can trust.
  3. Re:Followed shortly after by "muffin top" electron by Nyder · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not to mention the "poor self esteem" and "great personality" protons

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    I'd rather not discuss my atomic weight.

    Talk about a sig that sort of fits in with the convo...

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    Be seeing you...
  4. Make that Radium by justthinkit · · Score: 3, Funny

    Subject line fail.

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    I come here for the love
  5. Re:Reference to Island of Stablility by VortexCortex · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Island of Stability" -- Well, it's no Fortress of Solitude, but I guess for a used up pear-shaped Atomic Avenger, it'll do.