Science Friday The Largest US Particle Collider Stops Its Collisions
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Feb 9, 2026 Dr. Gene Van Buren, a nuclear physicist at Brookhaven who studies heavy-ion collisions and quark–gluon plasma, reflects on RHIC’s final run. He recounts RHIC’s surprising discovery of a near-perfect liquid plasma. He explains why heavy ions were used, why RHIC is being repurposed, and plans to probe cold nuclear matter with electron collisions.
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Celebratory Shutdown, Sad For People
- Gene Van Buren described the shutdown as a celebratory moment honoring decades of teamwork and achievements.
- He noted the sadness stems from long relationships ending, not from the science itself.
Quark-Gluon Plasma Was A Perfect Liquid
- RHIC was built to create and study the quark-gluon plasma by heating nuclear matter to extreme temperatures.
- Instead of a gas, RHIC produced a nearly perfect liquid plasma with extremely low shear viscosity.
Lowest Viscosity Near Quantum Limit
- The quark-gluon plasma at RHIC reached shear viscosity near the quantum mechanical limit.
- That extreme fluidity identifies it as one of the most perfect fluids known.