'Nearly Perfect' Liquid

April 18, 2005 6:50 AM

Physicists working at Brookhaven National Laboratory have created what appears to be a new state of matter.
posted by dfowler (26 comments total)

I, for one, welcome our new quark-gluon plasma overlords.
posted by LondonYank at 6:52 AM on April 18, 2005

I've played one too many games of Resident Evil to believe that science can produce anything good. I shall be milling around outside Brookhaven with a torch, if anyone wants to do a flashmob with a purpose.
posted by Swandive at 7:00 AM on April 18, 2005

Thanks, odinsdream. I was gonna do that but I couldn't figure out how to mix in the WHOLPHINS!
posted by dfowler at 7:07 AM on April 18, 2005

false killer whale? Aren't we all?
posted by peacay at 7:14 AM on April 18, 2005

So what are we up to now? Gas, Liquid, Solid, Semi-solid, Plasma, Bose-Einstein condensate, 'Nearly Perfect' Liquid, Fermi Degenerate Gas or fermions, and Supersolids...maybe?
posted by banished at 7:19 AM on April 18, 2005

and even more!
posted by banished at 7:21 AM on April 18, 2005

Not to mention supercooled liquids that go 'chink' when you flick them
posted by peacay at 7:25 AM on April 18, 2005

All of which are annihilated when they pass through the "Show Me" state.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 7:30 AM on April 18, 2005

We've now alerted the Berserkers of our existence. The end is nigh.
posted by ursus_comiter at 7:36 AM on April 18, 2005

I don't know how they do things down at Brookhaven, but here in Idaho we have a little something called pride. Understand? Smashing gold ions into one another at great velocities is a disgrace to you, me, and the entire Gem State.
posted by spock at 7:36 AM on April 18, 2005

So much for what I learned in chemistry class in high school.
posted by eljuanbobo at 7:41 AM on April 18, 2005

So what are we up to now? Gas, Liquid, Solid, Semi-solid, Plasma, Bose-Einstein condensate, 'Nearly Perfect' Liquid, Fermi Degenerate Gas or fermions, and Supersolids...maybe?

Don't forget Red State and Blue State.

And Poland. You forgot Poland.

It's Monday! Hey-o!
posted by mkultra at 7:50 AM on April 18, 2005

... I, uh... I don't know what to say.

Lectroids? Planet Ten? Nuclear? Extortion? A girl named John?!
posted by insomnia_lj at 7:50 AM on April 18, 2005

The conclave has begun. Somewhere deep under the Sistene Chapel, a red light blinks. The clock is ticking...
posted by cl at 7:50 AM on April 18, 2005

Doh, I mean "somewhere deep in the Vatican."
posted by cl at 7:55 AM on April 18, 2005

Can I get that by the pint?
posted by tim451 at 8:15 AM on April 18, 2005

Not to mention supercooled liquids that go 'chink' when you flick them

not to even mention superheated solids that go 'spic' when you clink them.
posted by quonsar at 8:24 AM on April 18, 2005

I'lla see you in hell, bigbooty.
posted by Divine_Wino at 8:56 AM on April 18, 2005

That's big-booTAY!!
posted by Rawhide at 9:41 AM on April 18, 2005

But can we use it to fuel our cars?
posted by Demogorgon at 9:48 AM on April 18, 2005

spock
posted by dfowler at 10:14 AM on April 18, 2005

Well, it appears that Brookhaven Labs has finally proven that we have learned all we can from the anal probe.
posted by johnj at 10:57 AM on April 18, 2005

"... they found that the particles produced in the collisions
tended to move collectively, much like a school of fish does."

Lessee now ...

1. Produce synchronized particles
2. Separate into two piles
3. Induce particles in one pile to move
4. Detect motion in other pile simultaneously regardless of distance
5. (Pause for moment of silence in honor of Einstein)
6. Patent as "subspace communicator"
7. Profit!

posted by Mur at 1:41 PM on April 18, 2005

All of them study what happens when two interacting beams of gold ions smash into one another

Egon: There's something very important I forgot to tell you.
Peter: What?
Egon: Don't cross the streams.
Peter: Why?
Egon: It would be bad.
Peter: I'm fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean bad?
Egon: Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.
posted by George_Spiggott at 3:49 PM on April 18, 2005

All of which are annihilated when they pass through the "Show Me" state.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:30 AM EST on April 18

Wins!!!
posted by moonbird at 4:03 PM on April 18, 2005

What moonbird said, with neither doubt nor reservation.
posted by Goofyy at 3:55 AM on April 19, 2005