Heavy-ion collisions

Heavy-ion collisions involve accelerating nuclei of heavy elements, like gold or lead, to near light speeds and then colliding them. These high-energy impacts create extremely hot and dense conditions, similar to those just after the Big Bang, leading to the formation of a unique state of matter called quark-gluon plasma. Scientists study these collisions to understand fundamental particles and forces, the behavior of matter under extreme conditions, and the early universe's evolution. These experiments are conducted in large particle accelerators, helping us explore the building blocks of the universe in extraordinary detail.