After completing the construction of the first magnetic monopole detector, Tom once again faced a difficult problem.
Because theoretical calculations indicated that magnetic monopoles were extremely rare, the detector not only needed to be built large enough but also needed to be as numerous as possible to increase the probability of detecting them.
However, the construction of magnetic monopole detectors required helium-3.
Over the years, Tom had accumulated only a few million tons of helium-3 in total, and all of it was now invested in the construction of this single magnetic monopole detector, which alone exhausted almost all his reserves.
And… the reserves of helium-3 in nature were too small.
Helium-3 is an isotope of helium. Ordinary helium, helium-4, has two neutrons and two protons in its atomic nucleus. Helium-3, however, has only one neutron in its atomic nucleus.
