Three Electrons: The New Threshold for Strong Particle Interactions

In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the CNRS and l'Université de Grenoble Alpes, alongside collaborators from Germany and Latvia, have unveiled a stunning discovery: just three electrons are sufficient to trigger potent interactions between particles. This remarkable finding was published in the esteemed journal *Nature*.

The Power of a Tiny Collider

Utilizing a custom-built tiny collider, researchers accelerated up to five electrons towards a separation barrier, meticulously counting the electrons on both sides. The results were nothing short of revolutionary!

A Breathtaking Discovery: The 'Heap' Effect

The experiments revealed a fascinating phenomenon—three electrons can create strong interactions akin to those seen in vast collections of particles. When five electrons are present, the resulting interactions mimic the behavior of hundreds of billions of electrons, forming an actual "heap" in a liquid state.

Implications for Science

This innovative experiment sheds light on a pivotal question in physics: at what point does collective behavior in matter emerge? Inspired by the heap paradox (How many grains of rice are needed to create a heap?), this research not only has profound implications in nanoelectronics but also resonates within the realm of elementary particle physics, including research conducted at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).