If you think we know all there is to know about water, think again. Scientists claim they have created a totally new alloy of hydrogen and oxygen molecules by splitting water.It takes high-energy X-rays and an extremely high pressure, but the end result is a solid mixture of H2 and 02 that has never been identified before, they say. The discovery could change our understanding of the complex chemistry of water.The new alloy is "a highly energetic material", says Wendy Mao at Los Alamos National Laboratory, US, who led the research. "It may help us find a way of storing energy."Mao’s team subjected water to a pressure 170,000 times greater than atmospheric pressure at sea level. Then they bombarded it with X-rays, causing the water molecules to split and reform into a previously unknown crystalline solid made of H2 molecules and 02 molecules. The phenomenon has been missed by hundreds of previous experiments, researchers say, because it only happens after several hours of exposure to 10-kiloelectronvolt-X-rays.

"We managed to hit on just the right level of X-ray energy input," says team member Russell Hemley, at the Carnegie Institution’s geophysical laboratory in Washington DC, US."Any higher, and the radiation tends to pass right through the sample. Any lower, and the radiation is largely absorbed by the diamonds in our pressure apparatus," he explains.After making several nanograms (10-9 of a gram) of the new alloy, researchers tested its properties by subjecting it to a range of temperatures and pressures, and further bombardment by X-rays and laser radiation. As long as it remained under a pressure 10,000 times greater than at sea level, it was "surprisingly stable", they say.

View: Full Article | Source: New Scientist

What is the point of experiments like this? We now have something that has to stay under pressure of 10,000 time greater that at sea level to remain constant. Where would you use this Venus?

To allow us a greater understanding of the world around us and to further our knowledge of the universe and how it behaves, what more point do you need?

PS: Venus has a surface pressure of around 90 times Earth's sea level

You geeked out right about there. =D

I'm sure he and you both know he did not know the exact pressure on mars.

This could be useful information if we were to one day send a probe deep into the Jovian atmosphere. Pressure there is estimated at >>1000 bars at the surface. Knowing what we might expect to find helps define the design of any such craft and the experiments it may carry.

Awesome! Now researchers are capable of studying Oprah's butt without fear of damaging expensive submersible equipment. ":]

well they said it could help store energy didnt they
thats a pretty important piece of rock id say.
but lets hope they use it wisely

storing energy this way will not be for the everyday uses indeed; but imagine this as a rocket fuel for example.
In rockets you'd want the ratio Energy value to mass as high as possible. Not alot of materials will have the energy value of the ideal 2:1 mixture of H2 and O2, and that as a solid, no less.

Even though I think the actual goal of the experiment is (was?) to get insight in the different behaviour of materials - even the materials as simple as water - at extreme pressures.

wow check out the big brain on deva
this place is full of surprises.

And how does this "wonderful discovery" help the normal man/woman
in the street ?
an answer from Dr Mao wolud be nice !

it could be used as clean energy i think.
that would be good for the spirit wouldnt it john?
imagine walking to work without smelling petrol. and having your kids and their kids having good clean air to breath.

If you belive you'll see that in your life time or your childrens, good luck.
anything which will put the oil companys out of buisness,
the requirements that needs products made from oil etc etc, it will never happern.
We, will use oil until the last drop has been used and the earth is a ruin.
Money and oil run the world. Controlled by a few hundred men/women.
The population does not.
So again, whats the point of this experiment ?

you got me .
i did try to delete that reply but it was too late!
based on what deva is saying that fuels useless to joe bloggs and co.
so i have no answer for you.
i jumped up and stuck my cheesy size 9s in my mouth

Well right now it doesn't. But as mentioned it can be used to possibly store energy while also furthering our knowledge of water and what really puts it together to form. It's science and research like this that has improved the lifes of everybody even more so really in the last 100 years with a bright future ahead of it.

Yeah but I just like things to be correct, for example the person I was replying to was a "she" not a "he", and they said "Venus" and not "Mars"