However, as they did in the new research, scientists can artificially produce antimatter in laboratories, using particle accelerators and other high-energy experiments.

In a series of experiments conducted at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists made a groundbreaking discovery after creating antihydrogen atoms – a state associated with the antiproton and positron – and observing how they behaved in the presence of gravity.

The purpose of that research was to answer one of the age-old questions in physics: Does “antimatter” interact with gravity in the same way as ordinary matter?

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Antimatter did not escape the influence of gravity

Geoffrey Hangst, physicist at Aarhus University in Denmark, who is the main author of that study, says that according to Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, all objects, regardless of their composition, fall at the same rate in a vacuum under the influence of gravity, indicating in statements to the “magazine” that

“This principle, known as the equivalence principle, has been tested and confirmed with respect to ordinary matter countless times, but the question remains: Does this apply to antimatter?”

 

 

The results were amazing. Just like ordinary hydrogen atoms, which consist of a proton and an electron, it has been observed that antihydrogen atoms fall under the influence of gravity in exactly the same way as their counterparts in matter.

This discovery was a resounding confirmation of the principle of equivalence and a testimony to the accuracy of experimental physics, as well as evidence of the validity of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

What does Einstein say?

Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, formulated in 1915, remains one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of physics. 

This pioneering theory revolutionized our understanding of gravity and the fabric of the universe. More than a century later, this description is still the most successful description of gravity, having withstood many experimental tests and challenges.

Einstein’s theory of general relativity quickly gained fame during the 1919 solar eclipse when British astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington led an expedition to measure the deflection of starlight due to the Sun’s gravity, as the theory predicted.

The successful confirmation of this prediction was a watershed moment that catapulted Einstein to global acclaim.

Since then, the theory has undergone rigorous experimental tests, including measurements of gravitational time dilation, gravitational redshift, and the precise orbits of planets and satellites.

Laser Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)

However, the most recent and groundbreaking verification came in the form of gravitational waves, first observed in 2015 by the Laser Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

These ripples in time, resulting from cataclysmic events such as the merger of black holes, provided direct evidence for the existence of gravitational waves, as predicted by Einstein’s theory.

 

 

While general relativity has proven itself time and time again, modern cosmology has revealed tantalizing mysteries, such as antimatter, dark matter, and dark energy – which have profound implications for our understanding of gravity.

One interesting avenue into the world of gravity, the behavior of antimatter, which was initially unknown to Einstein in 1915, was theoretically described by Dirac in 1928, with the first observation of a positron (the antimatter counterpart of the electron) occurring in 1932.

Theoretical discussions have arisen about whether antimatter might behave differently under gravity. While the consensus leans toward antimatter being attracted to matter, some hypotheses have suggested the possibility of “anti-gravitational” effects.

The weak equivalence principle, the cornerstone of Einstein’s theory, posits that all masses interact similarly with gravity, regardless of their internal structure.

Now, an experiment using antihydrogen atoms has shown that these antimatter particles behave consistently with Earth’s gravity.

This crucial experiment provided results that effectively ruled out the concept of “antigravity” repulsing antimatter, reinforcing the predictions of Einstein’s theory.

Obstacles and theories…

But the results did not shock many physicists so much as they put obstacles to some outlandish theories that posit, in order to solve some of cosmology’s biggest mysteries, that gravity pushes “antimatter” rather than pulls it, such that matter is subject to “antigravity.”

 

 

Italian scientist Galileo Galilei

Centuries ago, the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei demonstrated this principle by rolling balls of different materials down a small slope – and not, as legend has it, by dropping them from the Leaning Tower of Pisa – and based on this principle, Albert Einstein concluded that gravity arises when massive objects distort space and time.

It is the basis of his general theory of relativity, which he developed in 1915. But what is new about the matter is that no one has tested whether the principle of equivalence applies to matter and antimatter.

To find out, physicists working with the Antihydrogen Laser Physics (ALPHA) instrument at the European Particle Physics Laboratory performed an updated version of Galileo’s drop test.

First, the team used an electric field to capture antiprotons and antielectrons generated in particle collisions, after they moved those particles to form antihydrogen atoms, and captured them using a magnetic trap built around the electric trap.

Next, the team fired about 100 antiatoms into each experiment, to see whether they would fall down or up.

Complex details

But the details of the experiment were much more complex. The generated antihydrogen atoms are relatively hot and fast-moving, and are prone to being blown off the top and bottom of the long cylindrical magnetic trap, making the effect of gravity difficult to discern.

Furthermore, the magnetic field can cause atoms to fly to the top of the trap, creating a false anti-gravity signal.

To control such effects, the team used magnetic fields that trap the antiatoms to push them slightly, up or down, when they were released – that is, the team applied an additional force that forced the hydrogen atoms to move in the same direction as gravity.

After that, the team changed the direction of the force to push the atoms upward – in an anti-gravity direction – and found that applying the same force made the atoms “suspended” in space and did not push them upward, and this indicates that the anti-hydrogen atoms are exposed to another force that pulls them down, which is Earth’s gravitational force.

Gabriel Chardin hypothesized

In 2012, French physicist Gabriel Chardin hypothesized that the visible universe may contain equal amounts of matter and “antimatter,” but the latter is subject to antigravity. Although this idea has a scientific basis, it was not useful at all. Astronomers They have never observed galaxies made of antimatter.

But antigravity avoids this problem and can also solve two of the biggest mysteries in cosmology: the mysterious dark matter whose gravity keeps galaxies intact, and the even more exotic dark energy that stretches space and accelerates the expansion of the universe.

 

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Taking into account the opposing forces of gravity, matter and antimatter separate, and thus matter will combine to form galaxies, and antimatter will spread as much as possible between galaxies and act like dark energy, circling around galaxies and opening trenches of empty space that would prevent the annihilation of matter and antimatter.

“Now we have to find another explanation to solve these mysteries,” Hangst said in his interview with Al-Majalla.

Dark matter

This discovery has profound implications for our understanding of the universe, as it confirms one of the fundamental principles of general relativity, strengthening our confidence in the theory that underpins our understanding of gravity and space-time.

Moreover, this discovery has practical implications for future experiments related to antimatter, as it opens possibilities for more precise experiments to investigate other aspects of antimatter, such as gravitational interaction with dark matter, which remains one of the greatest mysteries in astrophysics.

Dark matter, which is believed to make up a large portion of the total mass in the universe, does not emit, absorb or interact with electromagnetic radiation (such as light), making it invisible and difficult to detect directly. Dark matter is thought to exist due to the effects of gravity on visible matter and the large-scale structure of the universe.

Dark matter

Dark matter is thought to play a crucial role in the formation and structure of galaxies and galaxy clusters, but that role remains largely unknown.

Beyond the scientific implications, this discovery also challenges popular science fiction narratives that have depicted antimatter as an exotic substance that defies the laws of physics.

While the annihilation of antimatter and matter remains a powerful concept for energy production, the behavior of antimatter in gravity seems consistent with our current understanding of physics.