3 ms·
"And they are not truly achieving the alchemists' dream of transmutation, just changing the behavior of the material." Is there really a difference? Isn't the
by danenania 6y ago
"And they are not truly achieving the alchemists' dream of transmutation, just changing the behavior of the material."
Is there really a difference? Isn't the name we give a material essentially just a shorthand for describing a pattern of behavior that its constituent particles are (mostly) adhering to?
- mrkstu 6y agoThe difference being if you stop the pulses the changed behavior would also stop. Transmutation would be permanent.
- jjoonathan 6y agoSpeaking of which, did Seaborg collect any of the gold atoms he transmuted? Obviously it wouldn't be enough to see, but I imagine that some university museum has a little vial with a chunk of detector in it with a little plate explaining that there are a few million transmuted gold atoms stuck to its surface, or something.