Science/Tech

NASA to Create The Coldest Spot In Universe Inside International Space Station

By Kamal Nayan | Update Date: Feb 04, 2014 09:44 AM EST

NASA has revealed an experiment to create the coldest sport in the universe that will be situated inside the International Space Station.

According to researchers, studying matter above absolute zero would prove beneficial providing them new insights into the quantum world. This could also revolutionize the understanding of the existing world and can lead to even more faster electronics and lasers. 

"We're going to study matter at temperatures far colder than are found naturally," said Rob Thompson of JPL, who is head of the Cold Atom Lab, according to Daily Mail. 

The 'atomic refrigerator' will be launched in 2016. 

"We aim to push effective temperatures down to 100 pico-Kelvin," said Thompson.

100 pico-Kelvin is just one ten-billionth of a degree above absolute zero. On this temperature all the thermal activity of atoms theoretically stops and ordinary concepts of solid, liquid and gas are no longer relevant. 

Atoms that interact just above the threshold of zero energy, create new forms of matter that primarily are quantum, said NASA in a statement. 

Quantum mechanics deals with the rules of light and matter at atomic levels. 

"Mixtures of different types of atoms can float together almost completely free of perturbations, allowing us to make sensitive measurements of very weak interactions. This could lead to the discovery of interesting and novel quantum phenomena," said Thompson, according to Daily Mail. 

"It's a basic principle of thermodynamics that when a gas expands, it cools.On the ISS, these traps can be made very weak because they do not have to support the atoms against the pull of gravity. Weak traps allow gases to expand and cool to lower temperatures than are possible on the ground."

© 2024 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics