The birth place of the world's leading inventions

It was here that 6 new super heavy elements were invented, filling 6 empty cells in the Chemical Periodic Table. And that also attracts the admiration and footsteps of this article writer .

GSI (Research Center for heavy ion physics) is one of the largest science centers in Germany.

Starting from a heavy ion accelerator, GSI in half a century has now become a major scientific research center not only in Germany but also in the world.

It was here that 6 new super heavy elements were invented, filling 6 empty cells in the Chemical Periodic Table. The event brought GSI into line with the world's leading research centers such as National Laboratory Berkley (USA), Institute of Nuclear Research Union (Russia), RIKEN Institute of Physical Chemistry (Japan). .

And that also attracts the admiration and footsteps of this article writer .

' Cathedral ' of passions

The GSI Center is located north of Darmstadt, in the state of Hesse, Germany, about 20 minutes away from the city southwest of the city. Leaving the highway behind, a small, straight and quiet road led me into a vast forest.

Suddenly, there were square buildings, an international-scale research center hidden among quiet forests. In the middle of the autumn day, the leaves of yellow leaves and bright red leaves interspersed in a vast array of purple and green leaves that are turning every day. Far away, smooth blue grass meanders along gentle hills.

Outside the GSI Science Center.(Photo: TTM)

Magical nature, quiet space . Those who have committed themselves to the passion for scientific exploration will deeply appreciate that ' scientific cathedral ', how it is necessary for the brightest workers create.

That nature evokes in my memory the image of the Dupna International Nuclear Research Center, forty years ago, the most important years of my scientific life. Pictures of laboratories, ' giant ' accelerators and a modern reactor . hidden in the immense birch forest by the river Von station.

That space is also the figure of the RIKEN Research Institute, north of Tokyo. The spring, April, cherry blossoms blooming freshly, RIKEN science space is more brilliant, fresh and attractive.

The quietness of working hours at GSI, as well as the scientific centers like Dupna and RIKEN ., to the extent that it is impossible to imagine in massive buildings, there are thousands of people who are passionate about laboratory equipment. Experiment, plan new projects or discuss and discuss interesting scientific results.

In front of the entrance to GSI.(Photo: TTM)

Behind GSI's gate there are about 1050 official staff working; including 300 researchers and engineers. There are 1200 people; including 200 doctoral and graduate students, from universities and research institutes in the country and many other countries in the world.

The budget for GSI activities is granted by the German Federal Government (90%) and the Hesse state government (10%). Annual operating budget is about 85 million Euro.

This year, GSI Center is just 40 years old (founded in 1969). German scientists have a chance to look back on the achievements of the past 40 years and plan bigger new projects.

From the very basic seeds to the immense universe

On the road of 40 years of development, GSI has gained great scientific achievements.

Right from its founding, GSI has aimed at heavy ion accelerator technology.

So what is heavy ion? These are atoms such as H, He, Ca, Au, Pb . or very heavy like U, lose some electrons of the outer layer, become positively charged ions. By carrying electricity, it is possible to assemble into beams and acceleration in the electromagnetic field of the accelerator to achieve high velocity.

GSI has built and put into use very early, in the 60s of the last century, the system of accelerating ion particles. It is a UNILAC 120-meter linear accelerator that allows acceleration to about 20% of the speed of light.

In addition, there is a SIS ring accelerator, circumferential 216 meters, which gives a heavy ion beam with a speed of 90% of the speed of light, after spinning hundreds of thousands of rings.

Thanks to the above accelerators and many other modern assistive devices, the GSI studies have spread a very wide spectrum, from basic studies to applied studies, from properties research and The law of the motion of elementary particles such as Quark particles with a size of less than 10 (-18) m to understand the formation of the vast universe, the vast galaxy measured in millions of light years.

In it, the most outstanding achievement is the invention of new elements. Dr. Dieter Ackermann, who has been involved in important research in this area, led me to look at the research devices and introduce the inventions of GSI.

Dr.D. Ackermann introduced the laboratory. (Photo: TTM)

In science, the search for new elements has many meanings, many attractions. Chemical elements formed on stars and in cosmic explosions are components that make up the physical world around us, including the earth and the human body. However, there are elements that exist in the universe but have not been found on the earth.

And scientists at GSI have found, created in the laboratory some of these elements, by bombarding high-speed heavy ion particles (bullets) into the plates with different materials. In the process, two atoms (bullets and beer) combine to form a new, heavier nucleus.

By that method, in GSI, for the last 25 years, six new superheavy elements have been invented: Bohrium 107, Hassium 108, Meitnerium 109, Darmstadium 110, Roentgenium and the latest element 112.

If ions are accelerated to very high energies, bombarded nuclei will "heat up" and break apart. This phenomenon makes it possible to study a plasma environment consisting of quark-gluon particles, a form of matter that exists very shortly after the big bang explosion.

The physicist has been in GSI since the early years, Dr. Peter Egelhof, and Professor at the University in Mains City, continues and introduces me to the results of research on nuclear reactions and structures. obtained on heavy ion beams in the past time and intended for a future project.

GS.P. Egelhof in the office. (Photo: TTM)

In addition to basic research areas, heavy ion beams can be used in applied research, especially in the field of biomedical.

Heavy ions are likely to cause very special physical and biological effects on body tissues. Therefore, cancerous tumors are easily destroyed while preserving adjacent healthy cells. This method is especially effective for brain and neck cancers.

With cancer treatment on ion beams, GSI is one of the pioneering facilities in the world in this field. After years of testing and treatment, now a cancer treatment center on the ion beam was built in Heidelberg with GSI technical support. It is expected that the number of patients can treat over 1000 people annually.

GSI Research Center has a wide relationship with the world science community, cooperating with hundreds of research institutes of about 50 countries around the world.

Vietnam has sent some good physicists to work here, participate in research projects in the field of experimental nuclear physics and theory, and are sending here young researchers to train.

For science fields, our country has not been able or invested yet, which is the most appropriate and effective way of training human resources.