For more information, contact Joel W. Sills, Langley Research Center, joel.w.sills@nasa.gov. Download the PDF version An instrumented hammer test does not require an idealized single half-sine...

Scientists have recreated a primordial state of matter from the dawn of the universe by colliding oxygen nuclei at nearly the speed of light. The surprising results show that this exotic substance...

Scientists at CERN's Large Hadron Collider have uncovered compelling new evidence that even relatively small atomic collisions can recreate the extraordinary state of matter that filled the universe...

A long-lived heavy neutrino could have reshaped the early universe’s expansion and tipped the balance toward matter, according to a theory that predicts traces in primordial gravitational waves. If...

Physicists have observed a neutral B meson, which contains a bottom quark, decay into two muons for the first time, ERR reports. The rare process offers a new way to test the Standard Model of particle physics and search for unknown forces of nature. An international team analysed billions of par…

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Explore how Geneva's research enhances physics discoveries. Discover Geneva's pivotal role in particle physics and its global impact.

A mile beneath the Black Hills in South Dakota, scientists are constructing the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (Dune) in the former Homestake mine, marking a significant shift from the area's historical gold mining to cutting-edge particle physics research. The facility, set to begin construction this Monday, will house four massive detectors made from over 4,000 tonnes of steel, designed to analyse neutrinos - ghostly particles that barely interact with matter. These detectors, holding 70,000 tonnes of liquid argon chilled to -200°C, will observe neutrinos from both the sun, distant supernovae, and a beam sent 800 miles from Fermilab in Illinois. The project aims to solve fundamental questions about the universe, including why matter dominates over antimatter, a mystery that could explain the very existence of our universe. The mine, which closed in 2001, has been transformed into the Sanford Underground Research Facility (Surf), already hosting the Lux-Zeplin (LZ) experiment that recently reported potential dark matter detection. Local officials and scientists highlight the economic and scientific benefits, with Lead's city administrator noting the transition from 'mining the Earth to helping scientists explore the universe.' The Dune project, involving international collaboration with the UK as the largest partner, represents a major engineering challenge, described as 'building a ship underground.' Once operational, Dune will study neutrino oscillations, masses, and differences between neutrinos and antineutrinos, potentially revealing new physics and shedding light on cosmic phenomena like black hole formation and stellar explosions. This marks a new era in neutrino research, following recent Nobel Prize recognition for similar work in Antarctica.

A mile beneath the Black Hills in South Dakota, scientists are constructing the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (Dune) in the former Homestake mine, marking a significant shift from the area's historical gold mining to cutting-edge particle physics research. The facility, set to begin construction this Monday, will house four massive detectors made from over 4,000 tonnes of steel, designed to analyse neutrinos - ghostly particles that barely interact with matter. These detectors, holding 70,000 tonnes of liquid argon chilled to -200°C, will observe neutrinos from both the sun, distant supernovae, and a beam sent 800 miles from Fermilab in Illinois. The project aims to solve fundamental questions about the universe, including why matter dominates over antimatter, a mystery that could explain the very existence of our universe. The mine, which closed in 2001, has been transformed into the Sanford Underground Research Facility (Surf), already hosting the Lux-Zeplin (LZ) experiment that recently reported potential dark matter detection. Local officials and scientists highlight the economic and scientific benefits, with Lead's city administrator noting the transition from 'mining the Earth to helping scientists explore the universe.' The Dune project, involving international collaboration with the UK as the largest partner, represents a major engineering challenge, described as 'building a ship underground.' Once operational, Dune will study neutrino oscillations, masses, and differences between neutrinos and antineutrinos, potentially revealing new physics and shedding light on cosmic phenomena like black hole formation and stellar explosions. This marks a new era in neutrino research, following recent Nobel Prize recognition for similar work in Antarctica.

The Underground Sieve: How a Chinese Detector Is Weighing the Ghost Particle

The story of the collaboration between Raoul Gatto and Bruno Touschek, before during and after the construction of AdA, the first electron-positron collider built at the Frascati National…

Scientists at Northwestern University have achieved a significant breakthrough by successfully trapping a single antimatter particle, specifically a positron, for an extended period of months. This accomplishment, detailed in a recent publication in Physical Review Letters, marks a major advancement in the study of antimatter, which has long been challenging to contain and study due to its reactive nature. The researchers developed a device called a single-positron quantum cyclotron, utilizing electric and magnetic fields within a vacuum chamber cooled to temperatures near absolute zero. This method allowed them to stabilize the positron in its lowest energy state, enabling precise control over its quantum behavior without physical contact. Unlike previous techniques that often resulted in the annihilation of antimatter upon contact with ordinary matter, this new approach preserved the particle, allowing for repeated measurements over an extended period. The experiment's primary goal is to investigate subtle differences between matter and antimatter, particularly focusing on magnetic properties. While current knowledge indicates that electrons and positrons share identical mass but opposite charges, scientists have yet to confirm whether there are minute discrepancies in their behavior. The new device promises measurements approximately 30 times more precise than previous methods, potentially revealing discrepancies that could necessitate revisions to fundamental physics laws. The research team, led by Gerald Gabrielse, emphasizes that while no unexpected differences have been observed yet, the enhanced precision achieved opens the door for future discoveries. This work contributes to resolving one of physics' greatest mysteries: why the universe appears to be composed almost entirely of matter, with antimatter seemingly scarce. The implications of this research extend beyond theoretical physics, potentially influencing future technologies and our understanding of the universe's fundamental structure.

The force exerted by a gas usually results from many atoms or molecules at once. But scientists isolated the force of a lone particle.

The standard model of particle physics works really well, but it can't explain why the universe exists. Something is missing, and this trapped particle might hold a clue to the answer

CERN and Mistral plan an AI model trained on simulated particle collisions to help physicists analyse LHC data and investigate potentially unusual signals.

In the early Universe, neutrinos interacted strongly with other matter before some of them "decoupled." The heaviest of these decoupled neutrinos may be the solution to the matter-antimatter cosmic...