A Man Put His Head In A Particle Accelerator And It Had An Insane Impact On His Body
Particle accelerators are machines that propel charged particles at light speed. It's led to discoveries including new particles like the Higgs boson.
But, outside of the groundbreaking discovery, can you picture anyone getting their head stuck in an accelerator? Anatoli Bugorski did precisely that in 1978, and has a story that's straight out of a movie.
In Order To Learn More About The Structure Of Matter, Particle Accelerators Were First Engineered In The 1930's
These machines use magnetism to move particles at high speed. The purpose of this is to force particles to crash into each other, which leaves observable traces that provide information for scientists.
Ultimately, the results of these collisions can help prove or disprove theories concerning the mysteries of the universe.
The Largest Particle Accelerator On The Planet Is The Large Hadron Collider
The large collider carries a 16.7-mile loop that particles rotate around. The machine has the capability of creating small black holes too. But the most surprising thing occurred in 2012.
LHC experiments reported the existence of the Higgs boson, which was one of the most groundbreaking discoveries in all of science.
The Science Behind Some Aspects Of A Particle Accelerator
A proton becomes a positively charged subatomic particle which is a critical ingredient in the nucleus of an atom.
Since protons were once thought to be the final pieces of an atom, they're known to contain three smaller particles, called quarks.
In The Seventies, The Soviet Union Was Onto Something
The Soviets were the leaders in particle physics research. Interestingly enough, the U-70 synchrotron collider, an award-winning device, was constructed in 1967. At the time, it was the world's most powerful accelerator.
To this day, the U-70 continues to be one of the most energetic synchrotrons of its kind in Russia. However, let's get back to our daring Soviet scientist.
Bugorski Made The Decision
On July 13, 1978, the Soviet scientist made a regrettable decision. By placing his head in the accelerator, a charged proton stream had struck his skull.
Coming in at a speed of 670 miles per hour and with a single blinding flash, that moment would change everything for Bugorski.
The U-70 Wasn't Functioning At All
Now, Burgorski was working at the institute the day his incident happened. But, the critical moment came when he inserted his head inside the machine. Afterward, something horrific occurred.
The beam shot right out and it went into the direction of the Soviet researcher.
Burgorski's Experience Was Quick, But Painless
It seemed like nothing happened until Burgoski reported something. He claimed to have seen a burst of light that was "brighter than a thousand suns." In that dramatic moment, the U-70 fired out a highly charged beam of protons that went through the scientist's head.
The physical impact of receiving a high dose of proton radiation was unknown at the time.
Proton Radiation Appears Rarely In Nature
A particular source would be solar wind, which is a beam of particles that radiate from the Sun. Cosmic rays coming from deep space are another commodity too. However, in both cases, the Earth's atmosphere stops the radiation from reaching us.
It wasn't until the seventies that scientists detected proton radiation in radioactive decay.
Its Relative Scarcity Is A Good Thing For Biological Life
It's probably a good thing that it's so rare, because it's harmful to our DNA, destroys cells, and may cause cancer. This radiation can also disrupt the making of red and white blood cells in the marrow.
That is a huge indication as to why high doses often led to illnesses like anemia and infections.
Proton Beams Can Have Positive Effects
It's mostly in the treatment of some forms of cancer. Cancerous cells can divide at a fast rate, and they're susceptible to DNA damage that's caused by proton radiation.
Additionally, this treatment has advantages over other forms of radiotherapy, only because it can be aimed directly at specific tumors.
The Beam That Went Through Burgoski Was More Powerful Than The Ones Used In Radiotherapy
Its electron voltage was approximately 76 billion, compared to 250 million used in proton therapy. Also, at the beam's radiation level, it was approximately 2,000 to 3,000 grays, the unit that it's measured in.
Essentially, exposure to over five grays will result in death.
The Injury Did Not Turn Out To Be Fatal
The beam's path was thin, and its aim was on point. Shockingly, the radiation had no impact on any of the surrounding organs of Burgoski.
Shocking, the scientist's bone marrow and other susceptible tissues were apparently relatively unscathed. Considering the sheer amount of grays, that seems almost impossible!
One Of The First Visible Effects Happened Minutes And Hours After The Accident
The proton scorched parts of Burgoskis face and skull, leaving him deaf in one ear.
After the initial swelling of the beam striking the scientist, the skin around the beam's entry and exit points began to peel off like an orange. What was once a painless beam of light was starting to show its effects.
Bugorski Was Placed Under Observation At A Moscow Clinic
Following the accident, there was little hope for Burgoski. But, the scientist would still be alive a week later when he would be placed under observation at a Moscow clinic.
This was all after the proton beam had struck the back of his skull, passing through his brain and coming out of his nostril.
The Incident Left Bugorski With Several Long-Term Health Problems
The left side of Burgoski's face suffered severe never damage. Mostly, the injury left it paralyzed, yet it remained untouched by aging. Burgoski's hearing never returned to his left ear.
But, there is a strong chance that the scientist suffered permanent brain damage.
Burgoski Suffered Grand Mal Seizures After His Injury
Burgoski suffered from powerful convulsions and battles of unconsciousness after his injury. These effects are called generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Irregular electrical impulses in the brain ignite these episodes.
These impulses are usually associated with having epilepsy.
Everyone Will Be Aware Of Him Thanks To His Freak Accident
Physicists will remember Burogski for his efforts of scientific service. But, almost everyone will remember him as the guy who put his head through a particle accelerator.
Since Burgoski put himself in grave danger, he's somewhat of a hero, just not like the ones in comic books or movies.
Nothing Has Done More To Advance Humanity Than Science
It's because of scientist's curiosity that superstition was mostly given away to reason. Thanks to the ones working in that field, we enjoy never-before-seen levels of comfort and mobility.
The inquiry is perfectly summarized by the 18th century Latin motto "Sapere Aude" which translates to English "Dare to know."
But, Daring To Know Is Simply Not Enough
A formal scientific method is what separates researchers and scientists from the so-called heroes of the Marvel Universe.
Unfortunately, that feeling was lacking in one particular Soviet's close-up encounter with a particle accelerator. What seemed like a minor slip up ended up costing Burogski a ton, even if he did somehow survive.
In Case You're Wondering, He's Still Alive
After the accident, Burgoski finished his Ph.D and he would serve as a coordinator of physics experiments for the Soviet Union. Burgoski even went under physical exams at a medical facility in Moscow.
The most incredible part of it all is that he has not developed any form of cancer.
