Scientists have made history by creating liquid carbon in a laboratory for the first time. This extraordinary achievement took place at the European XFEL, where an international research team led by the University of Rostock and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) explored the properties of matter under extreme pressure. Their experiment used the powerful DIPOLE 100 laser to push carbon into an exotic liquid state, something never observed in a controlled setting before.
Unlocking the Mysteries of Carbon
Liquid carbon is a bizarre and short-lived material that typically exists only under extreme conditions, like those found in the center of planets or during meteorite impacts. The experiment posed a unique challenge, as liquid carbon cannot be contained by any known material—so researchers used advanced techniques and precise control of pressure and temperature to generate and observe it.
This breakthrough paves the way for further research into carbon’s unique states and behaviors under extreme environments. Scientists believe this could lead to new insights in planetary science, materials research, and even the development of novel materials with extraordinary properties.
