[Engadget] "Scientists find a way to create matter from light"

[TopWargamer]

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/19/scientists-find-a-way-to-create-matter-from-light/?ncid=rss_truncated&utm_campaign=socialmedia_fb&utm_source=socialmedia_fb&utm_medium=fb

 

Scientists have long theorized that you can create matter from light by colliding photons,but proving that theory has been a different story -- you need the right high-energy particles to even think of trying. However, it looks like that once-impossible dream is close to becoming reality. Researchers at Imperial College London have discovered a techniquethat should produce electrons and positrons by colliding two sets of super-energetic photons. To create the first batch of photons, you have to first blast electrons with a laser, and then shoot them at a piece of gold; you produce the other batch by firing a laser at the inside of a small gold can to produce a thermal radiation field. If you collide the two photon sources inside the can, you should see electrons and positrons spilling out.

 

It's not a 100% light-to-matter conversion, because matter is still involved to make this happen. They still have to use colliders to get this to work and they also have to use gold to get this to work. I mean, it is very cool, and it'll be interesting to see its development, but again, it's not a 100% light-to-matter conversion. 

 

[Askew]

Does this mean there's gonna be a real light bridge one day?

 

 

And dare I say it....

[PillowSmoke]

Does this mean there's gonna be a real light bridge one day?

 

One day.....

[AlexGoesHigh]

Does this mean there's gonna be a real light bridge one day?

and holograms, laser swords, teleportation and a bunch of other stuff, this tech seems to be the basis for half the stuff we seen in sci-fi and more

[aom]

And no, because I know there will be people thinking this, this does not disprove Einstein's Law of Conservation of Matter (matter cannot be created or destroyed, only changes forms) since Einstein technically considered energy as form of matter.

[Beskamir]

This might just be the coolest thing I've read in a very long time! Can't wait until this becomes common enough that a dedicated nerd can build their own light saber

[totjup5]

Matter cannot be created or destroyed. Law of conservation of matter.

[MrPsych]

Matter cannot be created or destroyed. Law of conservation of matter.

Umm based off of the equation e=mc2,light has energy so it has mass, and the wway I define matter is that it has volume or mass (usually both)

[Nineshadow]

I remember reading this something like half a year ago...

Oh wait,it was actually them talking about how they were trying to do this.

[Nineshadow]

Umm based off of the equation e=mc2,light has energy so it has mass, and the wway I define matter is that it has volume or mass (usually both)

Light is a wave form...just like radiowaves,etc.

[KakaoDj]

Umm based off of the equation e=mc2,light has energy so it has mass, and the wway I define matter is that it has volume or mass (usually both)

photons are massless, breh.

So the right side of the equation =0

[MrPsych]

photons are massless, breh.

So the right side of the equation =0

If that were true, then light waves would have no energy. The famous e=mc2 equation doesn't explain why a traditionally massless particle would have energy, but it's relatively well known and it's rather simple to see that anything with (e) has (m)

I'm not insulting you or anything, physics isn't always very fun. I don't blame anyone for not wanting to take the time to learn things that probably won't be of use in their day to day life

But if u want a more thorough explanation, here's a nice link

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/ParticleAndNuclear/photon_mass.html no energy, in short,

[mr moose]

Light is a wave form...just like radiowaves,etc.

 

not when it is being observed, at that point it is a particle. 

 

and for those grappling the e=mc²  thing, first you need to consider the whole of Einsteins equation which is:  E² = m²c⁴ + p² c² so what this means is that energy and mass are equivalent, not the same but equivalent.  So while we know mass has a stored value of energy which can be extracted (nuclear fission) theoretically the reverse is also true.

[kuddlesworth9419]

Does this mean there's gonna be a real light bridge one day?

 

 

 

And dare I say it....

I find it interesting how you put the light bridge before the lightsaber. I take it you would prefer a bridge over a sword that can cut through anything. For me it's an easy answer.

[Guest]

Nintendo better not make Rainbow Road...

[zyvx]

I find it interesting how you put the light bridge before the lightsaber. I take it you would prefer a bridge over a sword that can cut through anything. For me it's an easy answer.

 

 I'm thinking it was more of a goes without saying type of situation. Excited for both, maybe. . .

 

[insert Futurama light baton beating (too lazy)]

[totjup5]

Umm based off of the equation e=mc2,light has energy so it has mass, and the wway I define matter is that it has volume or mass (usually both)

Yes, but the title is a bit sensationalist. They are not creating matter, just rearranging matter that is already in existence.