Physicists have confirmed the existence of a new form of atomic nuclei, and the fact that it’s not symmetrical challenges the fundamental theories of physics that explain our Universe.

But that’s not as bad as it sounds, because the discovery could help scientists solve one of the biggest mysteries in theoretical physics – where is all the dark matter? – and could also explain why travelling backwards in time might actually be impossible.

“We’ve found these nuclei literally point towards a direction in space. This relates to a direction in time, proving there’s a well-defined direction in time and we will always travel from past to present,” Marcus Scheck from the University of the West of Scotland told Kenneth MacDonald at BBC News.

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Postpocelipse said:

Physicists have confirmed the existence of a new form of atomic nuclei, and the fact that it’s not symmetrical challenges the fundamental theories of physics that explain our Universe.

But that’s not as bad as it sounds, because the discovery could help scientists solve one of the biggest mysteries in theoretical physics – where is all the dark matter? – and could also explain why travelling backwards in time might actually be impossible.

“We’ve found these nuclei literally point towards a direction in space. This relates to a direction in time, proving there’s a well-defined direction in time and we will always travel from past to present,” Marcus Scheck from the University of the West of Scotland told Kenneth MacDonald at BBC News.

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Is it like an arrow of time going forward not backwards

Cymek said:

Is it like an arrow of time going forward not backwards

The future is the direction space is curved toward.

Postpocelipse said:

Cymek said:

Is it like an arrow of time going forward not backwards

The future is the direction space is curved toward.

Sorry. Not an accurate description. The future is the only point in space that is flat. Everywhere else is experiences degrees of curvature to bring it into alignment with the future.

> physicists at CERN discovered an asymmetrical pear-shaped nucleus in the isotope Radium-224 back in 2013, and now Barium-144.

What sort of experiment was used to derive this pear-shape?

Most nuclei are spherical or nearly so, but for as long as I can remember (mid 1970s if not earlier) physicist have known about nuclei that are superdeformed, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superdeformation
Typically, a superdeformed nucleus will be an ellipsoid with 2:1:1 axes. Normal deformation is approximately 1.3:1:1. Deformation can be created by spin, above certain spin rates a fluid in hydrostatic equilibrium ceases to form a spherical shape (PS. good experiment for ISS).

Deformed nuclei tend to be ellipsoids, or occasionally peanut-shaped, this is the first I’ve come across that is pear shaped, and I can’t say I really know why.

I don’t see that this discovery has anything to do with CPT symmetry, or with time travel asymmetry.

mollwollfumble said:

> physicists at CERN discovered an asymmetrical pear-shaped nucleus in the isotope Radium-224 back in 2013, and now Barium-144.

What sort of experiment was used to derive this pear-shape?

Most nuclei are spherical or nearly so, but for as long as I can remember (mid 1970s if not earlier) physicist have known about nuclei that are superdeformed, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superdeformation
Typically, a superdeformed nucleus will be an ellipsoid with 2:1:1 axes. Normal deformation is approximately 1.3:1:1. Deformation can be created by spin, above certain spin rates a fluid in hydrostatic equilibrium ceases to form a spherical shape (PS. good experiment for ISS).

Deformed nuclei tend to be ellipsoids, or occasionally peanut-shaped, this is the first I’ve come across that is pear shaped, and I can’t say I really know why.

I don’t see that this discovery has anything to do with CPT symmetry, or with time travel asymmetry.

this