Oldest material on Earth discovered

[OwlHoot]

Li is a metal

H gets metallic properties close to absolute zero

Some of the Lithium around today was formed in the first few minutes after the Big Bang:

Big Bang nucleosynthesis

[DoctorStrangelove]

No? Really?

[MasterBait]

Wouldn't the particle be rather more likely to be the result of a stellar death?

As in a nova or a supernova?

That's when most of the metals* are produced from the primordial hydrogen, helium, & touch of lithium.


*Where "metals" are elements that are not H, He, or Li.

Li is a metal
H gets metallic properties close to absolute zero

[NotAllThere]

Wouldn't the particle be rather more likely to be the result of a stellar death?

Yes. But the context is:

The oldest of the dust grains were formed in stars that roared to life long before our Solar System was born.
...
When stars die, particles formed within them are flung out into space. These "pre-solar grains" then get incorporated into new stars, planets, moons and meteorites.

[DoctorStrangelove]

Wouldn't the particle be rather more likely to be the result of a stellar death?

As in a nova or a supernova?

That's when most of the metals* are produced from the primordial hydrogen, helium, & touch of lithium.


*Where "metals" are elements that are not H, He, or Li.

[NotAllThere]

We perceive atmospheric pressure changes in a certain range as sound. Those atmospheric pressure changes are, essentially, sound. Using special tools we can detect those pressure changes even beyond what we can hear. So yes, sound does exist even if there's no-one to hear it.

A more interesting question is whether the quantum wave function collapses if there's no-one to observe it?

[Mordac]

Stars roaring to life? How so?

I don't believe there's much sound to be had in a vacuum and I am also given to believe that there can be no sound if there is nothing to detect it...

So, if something was detecting sound 7.5 billion years ago, who/what was it?

Bears farting in the woods?

[NotAllThere]

Stars roaring to life? How so?

I don't believe there's much sound to be had in a vacuum and I am also given to believe that there can be no sound if there is nothing to detect it...

So, if something was detecting sound 7.5 billion years ago, who/what was it?

Well... if you were in the photosphere, you'd very very briefly hear very loud noises.
I suspect the term is being used figuratively.

[northernladuk]

They need to check the bottom of Admins wallet. I'm sure there is something older in there that hasn't been disturbed for eons.

[original PM]

Stars roaring to life? How so?

I don't believe there's much sound to be had in a vacuum and I am also given to believe that there can be no sound if there is nothing to detect it...

So, if something was detecting sound 7.5 billion years ago, who/what was it?

Maybe 7.5 billion years ago the universe was smaller and so more dense thus possibly there is 'enough' of a medium for sound to propagate?

But probably not - I think the while roaring thing is a bit of poetic licence on behalf of the BBC.




Although as an aside apparently when people who have been deaf suddenly get to be able to hear they are surprised the sun does not make a noise....

[jamesbrown]

Have they benchmarked this against some of our more, er, distinguished members?

[jamesbrown]

I am also given to believe that there can be no sound if there is nothing to detect it...

It depends whether it's a tree.

[ladymuck]

Stars roaring to life? How so?

I don't believe there's much sound to be had in a vacuum and I am also given to believe that there can be no sound if there is nothing to detect it...

So, if something was detecting sound 7.5 billion years ago, who/what was it?

[BrilloPad]

And it is not WTFH's "jokes"....

Oldest material on Earth discovered - BBC News