Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Universal Big Bang Lithium Deficit Confirmed

Posted by samzenpus on from the would-you-like-to-try-another-alkali-metal? dept.

An anonymous reader writes New observations of the star cluster Messier 54 show that it is just as deficient in lithium as our own galaxy, furthering a mystery about the element's big bang origins. "Most of the light chemical element lithium now present in the Universe was produced during the Big Bang, along with hydrogen and helium, but in much smaller quantities. Astronomers can calculate quite accurately how much lithium they expect to find in the early Universe, and from this work out how much they should see in old stars. But the numbers don't match — there is about three times less lithium in stars than expected. This mystery remains unsolved, despite several decades of work."

5 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. Simple explanation. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 5, Funny

    Elon Musk has cornered the supply of lithium for his giga factory. That man thinks centuries ahead of rest of the world and pundits! Man! Morgan cornering silver is nothing compared to this heist.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:Simple explanation. by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 5, Funny

      All of existence is bi-polar and has needed the lithium just to maintain it's current state...

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
  2. Depressing News by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is really depressing news. :-(

    1. Re:Depressing News by HuguesT · · Score: 5, Funny

      We should not be polarized about it.

    2. Re:Depressing News by drainbramage · · Score: 5, Funny

      Stop blaming obama for failures he clearly inherited from previous administrations.

      --
      No brain, no pain.