One of the smallest particles, which is also the most bizarre, may hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of our universe.
All matter is found in the cosmos. Everything around us — from planets to stars to puppies — is made up of matter. However, matter also has antimatter. Antimatter is a complement to protons, electrons, and other particles, such as antiprotons, antipositrons, and so on. Yet for some reason antimatter is much rarer than matter — and no one knows why.
According to physicists the universe was formed with equal amounts of antimatter and matter. The fact that matter and its antimatter counterparts are destroyed upon contact suggests that the universe should have been left with only energy. Somebody must have tipped it.
Some physicists believe subatomic particles called neutrinos that are light and compact could provide an explanation. These particles can be described as Extremely smallIt has less than one millionth of the electron’s mass (SN: 4/21/21). They’re produced in radioactive decays and in the sun and other cosmic environments. Known for their ethereal tendency to evade detection, neutrinos have earned the nickname “ghost particles.” These spooky particles, originally thought to have no mass at all, have a Record of good healthThe ability to produce scientific surprisesSN: 10/6/15).
Now researchers are building enormous detectors to find out if neutrinos could help solve the mystery of the universe’s matter. The Hyper-KamiokandeTry Hida City, Japan. Deep Underground Neutrino ResearchLead, S.D. will be studying neutrinos as well as their antimatter counterparts, the antineutrinos. A difference in neutrinos’ and antineutrinos’ behavior might hint at the origins of the matter-antimatter imbalance, scientists suspect.
You can see the video below to learn how neutrinos may reveal why the universe could contain anything.
