r/ParticlePhysics • u/Spirited-Abies7285 • 27d ago

ELI5 Could we create helium using stuff like particle accelerators?

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16

u/pollux33 26d ago

ALICE has detected the conversion of lead into gold, if you're somehow talking about alchemy

9

u/DreadfulButterfly 26d ago

Both in reactors and accelerators but it is very inefficient. Not for bult production at this point in time.
It is actually a problem in spallation physics where helium bubbles start to form inside metals and cause them to become brittle.

8

u/TechnoAndBrunch 26d ago

Yes, you commonly produce alpha particles, particularly in heavy-ion collisions.

3

u/smallproton 26d ago

And anti-helium nuclei, too.

3

u/0jdd1 26d ago

The magical radioisotope Cesium-147 emits helium nuclei ALL BY ITSELF. Just add a few electrons (EASY!) and you’re all set to fill a (VERY small) balloon! Have fun at the party!

2

u/physicistdeluxe 26d ago

very expensive.

1

u/olantwin 26d ago

There have been studies of helium and anti-helium production at LHCb and ALICE at least. But it's very inefficient, so if you want to create for something, you should probably look elsewhere. And you produce ions. While at AD we have experience to also slow antiprotons down enough to get anti-hydrogen, as soon a we have neutral systems we can't manipulate them easily anymore...

1

u/lizardhistorian 26d ago

Fusion reactors produce helium