Hey science lovers! 🧪 Did you know that China is building one of the world’s biggest and coolest detectors deep underground? It’s called the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory, or JUNO for short. And guess what? They’ve just started filling it up with super clean water! 💧
So, what’s JUNO all about?
JUNO is a giant sphere made of clear acrylic that’s about the size of a 12-story building! 😮 Inside, it’s going to hold 20,000 tonnes of a special liquid called a liquid scintillator. This liquid helps scientists see tiny particles called neutrinos.
Wait, what’s a neutrino?
Great question! Neutrinos are teeny-tiny particles that are all around us. They’re so small and sneaky that they can pass right through your body without you even noticing! That’s why some people call them “ghost particles” 👻.
Why do we want to catch neutrinos?
Neutrinos are super important because they can tell us a lot about the universe. They come from the sun, exploding stars, and even from inside the Earth! 🌍 By studying them, scientists hope to unlock mysteries about how the universe works.
How does JUNO help?
Since neutrinos are so hard to catch, we need a huge detector like JUNO. Inside the big sphere, when a neutrino interacts with the liquid scintillator, it creates a tiny flash of light. 🌟 JUNO has over 45,000 super-sensitive cameras called photomultiplier tubes that can detect these tiny flashes!
What’s happening now?
Right now, JUNO is being filled with ultrapure water. This water is super clean—much cleaner than the water we drink! 🚰 The water helps block out other particles and rays that could interfere with detecting neutrinos.
Later, scientists will replace the water inside the big sphere with the liquid scintillator. This whole process will take until August 2025. 🗓️ After that, the real fun begins as JUNO starts to collect data and maybe even make some amazing discoveries!
Did you know?
- Neutrinos are one of the lightest particles known, and they travel nearly at the speed of light! ⚡
- JUNO is a collaboration of over 700 scientists from 17 countries! 🌎
- Other big neutrino detectors are also being built in Japan and the United States.
Isn’t it exciting to think about uncovering the secrets of the universe? Maybe one day, you’ll be a scientist solving these cosmic mysteries! 🧑🔬
Reference(s):
China's transparent spherical neutrino detector reaches critical stage
cgtn.com
