Type: Prelims Only

Why in the News?

Scientists discovered a previously unknown crystal in trinitite, the glass formed after the 1945 Trinity nuclear test conducted by the United States in New Mexico.

Key Highlights

• Study published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Researchers identified a rare cage-like crystal called a Clathrate

What is Trinitite?

• Glassy green material formed when the nuclear blast melted desert sand.
• Created during the Trinity test on July 16, 1945.

About the New Crystal

• Composed of:
  • Calcium
  • Copper
  • Silicon
• Classified as a Type-I clathrate

Features

• Silicon atoms form cage-like structures trapping other elements inside.
• First clathrate discovered from a nuclear explosion product.

How Was it Formed?

The crystal formed under extreme conditions:

• Temperature Above 1,500°C
• Pressure Up to 8 gigapascals
• Rapid cooling preserved the crystal structure.

Link with Quasicrystals

The study followed earlier discovery of a Quasicrystal in red trinitite (2021)

Quasicrystals

• Have ordered but non-repeating atomic patterns.
• Earlier believed impossible in nature.
• Researchers found Clathrates and quasicrystals formed separately during the blast.

Scientific Importance

The findings suggest:

• Extreme environments can create entirely new forms of matter.
• Nuclear blast conditions may help scientists develop novel synthetic materials.

[2013] The efforts to detect the existence of Higgs boson particle have become frequent news in the recent past. What is /are the importance/importances of discovering this particle?
1. It will enable us to understand why elementary particles have mass.
2. technology to transferring matter from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them.
3. It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear fission.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

[A] 1 only
[B] 2 and 3 only
[C] 1 and 3 only
[D] 1, 2 and 3