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A ‘dead’ 1800s idea rises again... with clues to the mystery of the universe’s missing antimatter

Japanese physicists have shown that knots can arise in a realistic particle physics framework, potentially explaining the origin of the universe's matter surplus. By combining two long-studied extensions of the Standard Model, the team found a stable knot configuration that could have formed and dominated in the early universe.

Protons on the move

The BASE collaboration successfully relocated protons outside an antimatter laboratory using an autonomous Penning trap system. The technology enables low-energy antiprotons to be transported to high-precision laboratories, allowing for stringent matter-antimatter comparisons.

Glimmers of antimatter to explain the "dark" part of the universe

A recent study suggests that the observation of antihelium nuclei in cosmic rays may be consistent with the existence of WIMP particles, which could make up dark matter. The detection of two distinct isotopes, antihelium-3 and -4, is particularly intriguing as heavier nuclei are unlikely to be produced through natural processes.

SourceSissa Medialab·JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 4, 2024

Down goes antimatter! Gravity's effect on matter's elusive twin is revealed

Researchers confirmed that antimatter falls under the influence of gravity, ruling out gravitational repulsion as a cause for its absence in the universe. The study used an antihydrogen experiment to observe individual atoms taking a downward path, providing a definitive answer to long-standing questions about antimatter's behavior.

SourceU.S. National Science Foundation·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 27, 2023

Matter and antimatter seem to respond equally to gravity

Scientists at RIKEN have found that matter and antimatter respond to gravity in the same way, within an accuracy of four times more precise than previous measures. This suggests that causality and locality hold in relativistic quantum field theories, potentially leading to new physics.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 5, 2022

T2K insight into the origin of the universe

Researchers at Lancaster University's T2K experiment have found that almost half of the possible parameter values governing matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe have been disfavoured. This discovery suggests a basic property of neutrinos, one of the fundamental particles making up the Universe.

SourceLancaster University·JournalNature·DateApr 15, 2020

Canadian-led study akin to antimatter forensics

A Canadian-led research collaboration reports observing spectral lines from an antimatter atom for the first time in a study published in Nature. The team studied antihydrogen and found that its spectral lines match those of hydrogen very well, which could provide clues about the nature of matter and antimatter.

SourceSimon Fraser University·JournalNature·DateAug 4, 2017

Antimatter zapped!

Researchers at CERN have successfully manipulated antihydrogen atoms using microwaves, providing the world's first glimpse of an 'anti-atomic fingerprint.' This achievement demonstrates the feasibility of applying microwave spectroscopy to study antimatter atoms.

SourceSimon Fraser University·JournalNature·DateMar 7, 2012

How to unbalance nothingness

Researchers from Jena and Graz calculated the time evolution of the vacuum decay, revealing that particles of matter and antimatter behave in a novel self-focusing way. This breakthrough increases the possibility of discovering these particles in super strong electric fields.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateOct 28, 2011

Researchers trap antimatter atoms

A team of researchers from the University of Calgary has successfully trapped atomic antimatter, a significant breakthrough in understanding fundamental physics. The discovery opens up new possibilities for studying antimatter and its properties.

SourceUniversity of Calgary·JournalNature·DateNov 17, 2010

Searching for primordial antimatter

Researchers used data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Compton Gamma Ray Observatory to study the Bullet Cluster, where two large clusters of galaxies collided. The results show that the antimatter fraction in the cluster is less than three parts per million, ruling out significant amounts of antimatter on scales of about 65 m...

SourceChandra X-ray Center·JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics·DateOct 30, 2008

Why matter matters in the universe

Researchers investigated B-meson decays to understand the origin of matter's dominance over antimatter in the universe. The study reveals a significant discrepancy between theoretical models and observations, suggesting the presence of a new principle of physics.

SourceUniversity of Melbourne·JournalNature·DateMar 27, 2008