The Z Machine Recreates a Dying Star on Earth

The age of the universe might be wrong, so a team of astrophysicists are using the Z Machine to recreate a piece of it on Earth. What does it take to resurrect a white dwarf star in the lab?
»Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker
»Watch more Focal Point | https://bit.ly/2s0cf7w
» Visit our shop at http://shop.seeker.com

With its 36 Marx generators and more than TWO THOUSAND capacitors the Z Machine can store MORE THAN 20 MEGAJOULES of energy and fire it at a tiny target at its center.

It’s a powerful device used to uncover the mysteries of our universe.

Although the Z can’t reanimate monsters, it is helping drive innovation in the fields of radiation sciences, material sciences, and fusion studies.

Even redefining the field of astronomy by making experimentation possible.

Check out Part 1 of this Focal Point double feature here: https://youtu.be/eFhotBY0nQM

#zmachine #stars #whitedwarf #universe #physics #earth #seeker #science #focalpoint

Read More:
Z Machine: Science
https://www.sandia.gov/z-machine/research/science.html
“Z provides the fastest, most accurate, and most affordable method to determine how materials will react under high pressures and temperatures, characteristics that can then be expressed in formulas called equations of state. Combining theoretical simulations with laboratory work, Sandia researchers are able to perform more precisely than ever before.”

Creating Star Stuff on Earth is the Aim of New $7 Million Project
https://cns.utexas.edu/news/creating-star-stuff-on-earth-is-the-aim-of-new-7-million-project
“To re-create the surface of a white dwarf star, UT Austin astronomer Don Winget and colleagues use the Z-machine, which converts the amount of electricity needed to power a few TV sets for the evening into a burst of energy greater than that produced by all the power plants in the world.”

White Dwarfs
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/universe/white-dwarfs/
“When they reach the end of their long evolutions, smaller stars—those up to eight times as massive as our own sun—typically become white dwarfs. These ancient stars are incredibly dense. A teaspoonful of their matter would weigh as much on Earth as an elephant—5.5 tons.”

____________________

Our scientific understanding of the universe is advancing at an unprecedented rate. Join Focal Point as we meet the people building tomorrow’s world. Witness the astonishing discoveries that will propel humanity forward and zero-in on the places where science-fiction becomes science-reality.

Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe.

Visit the Seeker website https://www.seeker.com

Seeker on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SeekerMedia/

Focal Point on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FocalPointShow/

Seeker on Twitter http://twitter.com/seeker

#zmachine #stars #whitedwarf #universe #physics #earth #seeker #science