NPL demonstrates yet again how science can be fun!
In this video, NPL’s Andrew Hanson, assisted by Chris Thomas, shows us a spectacular experiment that demonstrates just how unhappy objects are to have extra material inserted into the space between matter – despite even the most dense of objects being mostly empty space. Please do not try this at home, unless you are comfortable using your linear accelerator safely of course.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W34a2zDfrTQ]
Or in slightly more scientific terms:
“The interior of Plexiglas samples are irradiated by an electron beam from a 10 million electron volt (MeV) particle accelerator at NPL. The excess negative charge is discharged and the electrons escape with a bright flash and loud bang. The hot, lightning-like discharges create a fractal pattern of fractures inside the acrylic resulting in an overall branching “Frozen Lightning” sculpture (Lichtenberg Figure).”