Heavy Ion Program

The Heavy Ion Program involves colliding nuclei of heavy elements, like gold or lead, at extremely high energies in particle accelerators. This process creates a state of matter called quark-gluon plasma, similar to conditions just after the Big Bang. Scientists study these collisions to understand fundamental forces and the behavior of matter under extreme temperatures and densities. The program helps reveal insights into the early universe, the properties of nuclear matter, and the strong force that binds atomic nuclei, advancing our knowledge of physics at the most fundamental level.