What's Happening With Antimatter at CERN? Scientists Are Stumped Again
Exploring the Universe's Antimatter Mystery
Protons, neurons, and electrons are the building blocks of matter not only here on Earth, but also in the farthest observable universe. Antimatter, comprised of anti-electrons or positrons, antiprotons, and anti-neutrons, appears equally widespread.
Antimatter, though sounding like sci-fi, is a real and critical part of particle physics. It was formerly detected by Carl D Anderson at Caltech in 1932 who used a cloud chamber immersed in a magnetic field, earning him a Nobel Prize.
The weak and strong nuclear forces, along with gravitation and electromagnetism, comprise the four fundamental forces of nature. Experiments suggest the weak force impacts ordinary particles and antiparticles differently, and thus far the strong force behaves identically on both.
Scientists at CERN are conducting ongoing experiments to see if gravity treats matter and antimatter differently, which would aid explanations for the properties of dark matter and dark energy. Early results suggest gravity pulls antimatter downwards, but require further work to confirm.
Despite antimatter's "weirdness", only the weak force appears to apply differently to it and ordinary matter. Scientists continue to explore whether unrevealed forces or particles may better explain why the universe has so much more matter than antimatter.
