[music]
Even if you're not a science fiction fan,
you can't help but hear about all sorts of cool kinds of imaginary gadgets,
from light sabres
to the time travel
However the reality is that almost everything you see in science fiction
movies is, scientifically speaking, actually really pretty bogus
They're not real.
But I have some good news!
There's one physics concept in the pantheon of great science fiction plot
devices is that is totally real.
This physically real thing is antimatter.
Antimatter was predicted in the nineteen twenties and discovered shortly
thereafter.
Since its discovery scientists have been able to make anti atoms including
antimatter hydrogen and helium.
Antimatter is science fact, not fiction.
So what are some of the properties of antimatter?
You might be surprised that antimatter is governed by the same rules as
ordinary matter, there's nothing all that unusual about it. you can make an antimatter
world,
an antimatter universe,
even an antimatter me.
Why look, there's an antimatter me now!
Hello anti me!
Hello, me.
So how the heck are ...
Oh - wait! That might not be a good idea.
Anti-me: What what's the problem?
Me: Well remember what happens when you combine matter and antimatter?
I see what you mean... So tell them about it
One interesting thing about antimatter is what happens when a combines with
matter.
That's when things get exciting.
You've probably heard Einstein's famous equation equals m_c_ squared.
If you cared to dig into what it means
you've heard that it means that energy is equivalent to matter,
and vice versa,
and that's true.
However, that statement is incomplete.
When we convert energy into a particle of matter we must at the same time create
an identical number of particles of the antimatter.
It's always the same.
So what Einstein's equation means is that you can convert energy to matter and
antimatter and you can combine matter and antimatter
to make energy.
Let's take another look at Einstein's equation.
E stands for energy, m stands for mass but the c squared term is just a number,
actually a very
big number.
In the usual metric system it is a nine followed by sixteen zeros.
This means a little mass
is a lot of energy.
We can work out just how much.
Suppose we had an antimatter paper clip and touched it to a matter paper clip ...
Can you help me out, anti-me? Sure!
We'll take these matter and antimatter paper clips and touch them together.
The energy that would be released when these two things are
combined is enormous ... about twenty times as much energy as it takes to launch the space
shuttle into orbit.
That's sounds dangerous! I think I'll get out of here. Bye.
Good idea. I'll see you later.
It's natural question to ask if antimatter is dangerous. The answer is, no - or
more accurately, we can't make enough to be dangerous.
The easiest way to answer this question is to visit the Fermilab antiproton
source, the world's most powerful antimatter production facility.
This facility made antimatter protons for about twenty five years.
In fact, we worked very, very hard
to make as many antiprotons as possible.
So how many antiprotons does twenty-five years of tireless effort bring us?
Well, if you were able to store all the anti protons ever made
and combined them all at once with the equivalent amount of matter,
we've got about enough energy to warm the coffee in this urn from room temperature
up to something drinkable.
That's just not a lot of energy and clinches the argument that mankind's study
of antimatter poses no credible danger.
However antimatter does pose one very interesting mystery.
We believe that matter and antimatter are created in equal quantities from energy.
In the beginning, when the universe was much younger and hotter,
the energy available at that time
should have created matter and antimatter equal quantities.
Yet today, our universe consists entirely of matter.
Why is that?
The answer is rather simple, we just don't know.
In fact, this question is one of the most important puzzles of fundamental physics
in the twenty first century.
As usual a mystery of this magnitude results in many physicist working on it.
We haven't found the answer, but we will.
And when I hear something,
I'll be sure to let you know.
Hey me! Yeah, what? Good job, guy! High Five!