LHC transmutes lead into gold

Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider have successfully transmuted lead into gold, a feat previously sought by alchemists. The ALICE collaboration's findings quantify this conversion. The experiment involved high-energy collisions of lead nuclei, where intense electromagnetic fields induced photon interactions. These interactions caused the ejection of protons from lead atoms, transforming them into gold atoms. This process, though successful, produces gold at a minuscule rate, far from practical applications. The research also helps refine models of electromagnetic dissociation, crucial for understanding particle accelerator performance.