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Researchers Heat Gold to 19,000 K, Defying Science

8/7/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In a groundbreaking study published in Nature, researchers have pushed the limits of gold by heating it to a staggering 19,000 kelvins—14 times its melting point—using ultrafast lasers and X-rays. This innovative approach not only defies long-standing theories about solid stability but also opens new avenues for exploring "warm dense matter," vital for unraveling the mysteries of astrophysics and material science.

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Story summary

In a groundbreaking study published in Nature, researchers have pushed the limits of gold by heating it to a staggering 19,000 kelvins—14 times its melting point—using ultrafast lasers and X-rays. This innovative approach not only defies long-standing theories about solid stability but also opens new avenues for exploring "warm dense matter," vital for unraveling the mysteries of astrophysics and material science.