CERN laboratory generates antimatter

For the first time in the history of mankind, scientists have been able to discover antimatter. Observable atoms of antimatter were created by the CERN laboratory. This is the first-time antimatter has been observable in existence.

First time seeing antimatter atoms

The Telegraph accounts that in an experiment, antimatter was captures by the CERN laboratory scientists in Geneva Switzerland. They caught the antihydrogen for a fifth of a second before it was blasted out of existence. There were merely 38 atoms caught. A fifth of a second is quite a bit of time for subatomic particles. Concerning 10 million protons and 700 million positrons, or positively charged electrons, were put in the field so the researchers could product antihydrogen, reports BBC. They used ALPHA, or Anti-hydrogen Laser Physics, to do this. A gas cloud the size of a match head was formed in the magnetic container used to do the experiment. 38 atoms of antihydrogen were formed this way. Since antihydrogen is almost the exact same as hydrogen except it has an opposite charge, it’s used in many studies.

Genuine antimatter

A particle corresponding sometimes has an opposite charge. This is called antimatter. Usually, electrons have a negative charge. The behavior is all concerning the same. Electrons are almost entirely mimicked by positrons, or anti-electrons. A positive charge is the merely difference. The existence of positrons was first confirmed in 1932 by Carl D. Anderson at CalTech, and for his discovery he won the 1936 Nobel Prize in Physics. Particles of antimatter and ordinary matter annihilate each other when in contact. An antimatter particle being there long enough to research is almost extremely hard. This makes things very difficult.

Physics problem

In physics, one of the biggest mysteries has always been matter and antimatter. Obviously, antimatter is less common than matter. The universe would have annihilated itself if this were not true. That is why the creation of a few atoms of antimatter in a lab was amazing. This is true even if it were merely a few seconds.

Articles cited

The Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/science/8141780/Antimatter-captured-by-CERN-scientists-in-dramatic-physics-breakthrough.html

The BBC

bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11773791

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimatter