GENEVA, Switzerland: Scientists at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) here have achieved a world first by successfully transporting antimatter, a historic milestone for the scientific community that has long studied the elusive antiprotons, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
German physicist, Stefan Ulmer, monitored the measurement data from a vehicle in the convoy behind the truck carrying the antimatter and confirmed on Tuesday morning: “Everything went well; the antiprotons are still there.”
Scientists describe antimatter as the “mirror image” of ordinary matter. It is believed to have the potential to unlock some of the universe’s most profound mysteries.
“Yet, one of the most significant challenges in studying antimatter is its inherent instability – it annihilates upon contact with matter – making storage and transport exceedingly difficult,” CERN said.
Ulmer said that it marks the beginning of a new era for precision measurements.
The 92 antiprotons were secured in a specially built portable “penning trap”, with verification completed before any celebration.
The transport demonstrated that the container designed by Ulmer, Christian Smorra and their team functions as intended.
In the coming years, antiprotons are expected to be transported to laboratories in Germany’s Dusseldorf, Hanover and Heidelberg, for even more precise measurements than those possible at CERN.
Physicists hope these experiments will help explain one of particle physics’ greatest mysteries: why the universe contains far more matter than antimatter.
The Big Bang is believed to have produced equal amounts of both, but nearly all the antimatter has since disappeared. – BERNAMA-dpa
