Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe Listener Questions #36
Apr 21, 2026
They tackle the odderon and why odd-numbered gluon exchanges mattered to physicists. They explore Langerhans cells, where they sit in the skin and how they help the immune system. They debate cosmic questions about black holes inside black holes, spinning horizons, and what complex interiors might look like.
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Odderon Emerges From Odd Gluon Exchanges
- The Odderon is not a standalone particle but an emergent pattern from odd-numbered gluon exchanges during proton collisions.
- Adding all odd gluon-exchange terms simplifies mathematically to behave like a single exchanged object, producing observable differences between proton–proton and proton–antiproton collisions.
Gluon Color Forces Multi‑Gluon Exchanges
- Gluons carry 'color' (strong charge) so exchanges between protons require multiple gluons to preserve overall color neutrality.
- Because gluons themselves are colored, exchanges with odd numbers of interacting gluons can be summed into the odderon while even-numbered sums form the pomeron.
Fifty Years To Find The Odderon Signal
- The odderon was predicted in 1973 and required about 50 years to find experimental evidence by comparing proton–proton with proton–antiproton collisions.
- It appears only transiently during interactions and is treated as a mathematical exchange, not a stable particle you can isolate.