As the earth rotates along its axis, it wobbles a little bit. This wobbling comes, in part, from how mass is distributed across the planet. Nuclear physics researchers have now observed this same type of wobbling in Au187- a gold isotope that lives for just eight minutes. Fundamental science research like this can lead to major breakthroughs in a range of fields, including medical care.
Robert Janssens, Edward G. Bilpuch Professor of Physics in UNC-Chapel Hill’s College of Arts & Sciences, is a member of the research team that observed the wobble. The team published a paper on its findings in Physical Review Letters on Feb. 5.
Please follow the link to hear from Janssens about he findings and why research into fundamental science is so important