ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Research → Discoveries

Antimatter excess in space hints of tangible evidence of dark matter

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
April 3, 2013
in Discoveries, Physics, Space
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

A $1.6 billion cosmic ray experiment on the International Space Station has come across evidence of antimatter in space, a remarkable finding that was recently presented during a seminar at CERN and which might help probe the mysteries of dark matter – one of the major components that make up the Universe.

AMS_on_ISS_700k_Small
The AMS-02 experiment is a state-of-the-art particle physics detector that is constructed, tested and operated by an international team composed of 56 institutes from 16 countries and organized under United States Department of Energy (DOE) sponsorship. Seen here as the round instrument labeled as “AMS”. (c) NASA

The find was made using the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), an instrument mounted on the International Space Station which has been likened by many as an LHC in space. AMS job is that of  surveying the sky for high-energy particles, or cosmic rays and has so far recorded 25 billion events. It’s main mission is that of identifying and describing dark matter, a mysterious component which we can not see, unlike regular matter, but which we know for sure exists because of the gravitational effects it holds on regular matter.

It’s believed that whenever dark matter collides, it forms antimatter as a result of what’s called annihilation. Antimatter is, naturally, the reverse of matter and every particle in the Universe has its corresponding antiparticle. For instance, the electron’s antiparticle is the antielectron, known as a positron. The electron and the antielectron have exactly the same masses, but they have exactly opposite electrical charges. Scientists believe that in the wake of the Big Bang an equal amount of matter and antimatter was ejected through out the Universe, however why they didn’t cancel each other out or why there seems to be more matter than anti-matter is a subject that’s giving physicists really big headaches.

Normal matter contributes just 4.9% of the mass/energy density of the Universe, dark matter is believed to range somewhere in the 26.8% margin, while dark energy – the force thought to be accelerating the expansion of the Universe – sits atop a comfortable majority of 68.3%.

Anyway, the AMS instrument shines by counting the numbers of electrons and their anti-matter counterparts from space – positrons – falling on an array of detectors. At the CERN seminar, completed just mere hours ago, AMS spokesperson and lead scientist Professor Samuel Ting unveiled some spectacular results. According to Ting, a slight excess of positrons in the positron-electron count was experienced, something expected in the aftermath of dark matter annihilation.

Evidence of dark matter finally found? Don’t get too excited…

This positron count excess could have come from pulsars, the spinning remnants of dead stars that throw off wild winds of radiation. Analysis has shown however that the positrons fall on the AMS from all directions, rather than a specific signal direction like one given off by a pulsar, suggesting what the researchers have come across are actually dark matter decay remnants. What this also suggests is that we may be on the brink of a monumental discovery in physics. According to the CERN press release:

“The AMS results are based on some 25 billion recorded events, including 400,000 positrons with energies between 0.5 GeV and 350 GeV, recorded over a year and a half. This represents the largest collection of antimatter particles recorded in space. The positron fraction increases from 10 GeV to 250 GeV, with the data showing the slope of the increase reducing by an order of magnitude over the range 20-250 GeV. The data also show no significant variation over time, or any preferred incoming direction. These results are consistent with the positrons originating from the annihilation of dark matter particles in space, but not yet sufficiently conclusive to rule out other explanations.”

CERN scientists, as they should be, are cautious and don’t mean to make bold statements as of yet.

RelatedPosts

Dark matter is colder than we thought — and we know this thanks to Einsteins crosses
The first images from the world’s most powerful camera [STUNNING PHOTOS]
Weird state of matter found in chicken’s eye
We know something more about dark energy: it isn’t a fundamental force

“As the most precise measurement of the cosmic ray positron flux to date, these results show clearly the power and capabilities of the AMS detector,” said AMS spokesperson, Samuel Ting. “Over the coming months, AMS will be able to tell us conclusively whether these positrons are a signal for dark matter, or whether they have some other origin.”

If the more positrons than expected at higher energies can be attributed to dark matter remains to be seen, as we anxiously await new findings from AMS and CERN in the coming months. What’s certain is that only two years in its ten year mission, the AMS has already shown us a great deal, so expect much more from its behalf.

The findings are slated for publishing in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Tags: antimatterdark energydark mattermatter

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

News

A Massive Particle Blasted Through Earth and Scientists Think It Might Be The First Detection of Dark Matter

byJordan Strickler
4 days ago
News

Astronomers Say They Finally Found Half the Universe’s Matter. It was Missing In Plain Sight

byTibi Puiu
2 months ago
Astronomy

Scientists Take “Baby Picture” of the Infant Universe and Then Weigh It. Here’s What Its First 380,000 Years Tell Us

byMihai Andrei
3 months ago
News

Black Holes Might Not Be Cosmic Dead-Ends But Rather the Beginning Of White Holes

byTibi Puiu
3 months ago

Recent news

staircase inside a church

A Hidden Staircase in a French Church Just Led Archaeologists Into the Middle Ages

June 17, 2025

The World’s Largest Camera Is About to Change Astronomy Forever

June 17, 2025

Ancient Dung Reveals the Oldest Butterfly Fossils Ever Found

June 17, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.