Nature Podcast Giant laser heats solid gold to 14 times its melting point
Jul 23, 2025
A thrilling discussion reveals how scientists recently heated solid gold to an astonishing 14 times its melting point without it turning liquid. The team employed a powerful laser, pushing theoretical limits and sparking skepticism. Additionally, evolutionary insights shed light on how isolation expanded the wingspans of flying foxes, while a sugary diet in early life was found to rewire mouse brains. The podcast also tackles the urgent threat of nuclear warfare in the AI age, emphasizing the need for human oversight in military decisions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Gold Superheated Beyond Expected Limit
- Researchers heated gold to 14 times its melting temperature yet it remained solid.
- This challenges previous theoretical limits on how hot solid materials can get before melting.
Entropy Catastrophe Limit Challenged
- Theoretical entropy catastrophe limits maximum superheating of solids to three times their melt temperature.
- Rapid heating can modify these equations and potentially remove that limit, allowing higher superheating.
Skepticism on Temperature Measurements
- Some scientists doubt the temperature measurements from the x-ray method are accurate.
- The complex ion dynamics during rapid laser heating might affect the interpretation of the temperature data.