ANTI MATTER

 
The most expensive substance on Earth, costing a trillion dollars for a single gram. According to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, it costs about $1 billion to create a single milligram of antimatter .

This is because antimatter can only be made by smashing high-energy protons into a metal target, which produces only a few antiprotons per million collisions. These antiprotons then have to be slowed down and stored in a magnetic trap, where they can be combined with positrons (antielectrons) to form antihydrogen atoms.

So what is the point of making such a rare and costly substance?

What are the potential applications of antimatter in science and technology? Here are some examples:

- Medical imaging: One of the most common uses for antimatter is positron emission tomography (PET), a form of imaging that is used by doctors to measure certain bodily processes like blood flow and localized chemical composition in tissue. PET scans work by injecting a radioactive tracer that emits positrons into the patient's body. When these positrons encounter electrons in the tissue, they annihilate and produce gamma rays that can be detected by a scanner. PET scans can help diagnose diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.

- Material science: Antimatter can also be used to probe the structure and properties of materials at the atomic level. By shooting positrons at a sample, scientists can measure how they interact with the electrons and nuclei of the atoms, revealing information about defects, impurities, bonding, and phase transitions. This technique can help improve the quality and performance of materials such as metals, semiconductors, polymers, and nanomaterials.

- Fundamental physics: Antimatter can also help answer some of the deepest questions about the nature of reality and the origin of the universe. Why does matter dominate over antimatter in the cosmos? Are there any differences between matter and antimatter besides their charge? How does gravity affect antimatter?

To address these questions, physicists at CERN are conducting experiments with antihydrogen atoms, such as measuring their spectrum, magnetic moment, gravitational behavior, and interaction with light. These experiments could test the validity of some of the most fundamental theories of physics, such as quantum mechanics and general relativity.

Antimatter may seem like a futuristic and exotic substance, but it has already proven to be a valuable tool for advancing our knowledge and technology in various fields. As more research is done on antimatter physics and engineering, we may discover new and exciting ways to use this remarkable form of matter.