Trending Now - CERN Achieves Milestone in Antimatter Transport Testing
WHO:
Scientists at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Sophie Tesauri, CERN spokeswoman
Christian Smorra, head of the team behind the apparatus designed to store and transport antimatter
Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany
WHAT:
The test drive has been deemed a success by scientists at CERN.
The antiprotons are encased in a box called a “transportable antiproton trap,” which is designed to hold the antiprotons for only about four hours.
The antiprotons are described as being slightly less than that of about 100 hydrogen atoms, with the worst-case scenario being the loss of the antiprotons.
The test involved transporting about 100 antiprotons, which are suspended in a vacuum and held in place by superconducting magnets cooled to -269 degrees Celsius (-452 Fahrenheit).
The test drive involved a half-hour journey to assess the transport of antiprotons without leakage.
The antiprotons are encased in a box called a “transportable antiproton trap,” which is compact enough to fit through ordinary laboratory doors.
The trap is designed to contain the antiprotons under various conditions, including sudden stops or starts of the truck.
The antiprotons' mass is described as being slightly less than that of about 100 hydrogen atoms, with the worst-case scenario being the loss of the antiprotons.
CERN conducted a test drive to transport about 100 antiprotons in a specially designed box.
The antiprotons are suspended in a vacuum and held in place by supercooled magnets.
The test drive lasted approximately four hours on March 24th, 2026.
The transportable antiproton trap weighs 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds).
The mass of the antiprotons is slightly less than that of about 100 hydrogen atoms.
The trap can only contain the antiprotons for about four hours.
WHERE:
CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
WHEN:
The test drive occurred on March 24th, 2026.
The drive to Düsseldorf is estimated to take about eight hours under normal conditions.
WHY:
Heinrich Heine University is considered a better location for studying antiprotons due to CERN's magnetic interference affecting antimatter research.
The test aims to explore the feasibility of transporting antiprotons to researchers at Heinrich Heine University for in-depth study.
CERN generates significant magnetic interference that can affect the study of antimatter.
HOW:
The Antiproton Decelerator at CERN generates secondary particles, including antiprotons, by firing a proton beam into a block of metal, which is described as a unique machine that produces low-energy antiprotons for the study of antimatter.
The Antiproton Decelerator at CERN generates secondary particles, including antiprotons, by firing a proton beam into a block of metal.
Antiprotons are transported in a vacuum inside a specially designed box using superconducting magnets cooled to -269 degrees Celsius (-452 Fahrenheit).
The test involves carefully loading the antiprotons into a truck and monitoring their stability during transport.
(UPDATED March 24, 2026 15:53 UTC)
Scientists at CERN have announced a successful test drive involving the transportation of about 100 antiprotons, which are held in a special box called a “transportable antiproton trap.” These antiprotons, which weigh slightly less than 100 hydrogen atoms, are suspended in a vacuum and kept in place by superconducting magnets that are cooled to an extremely low temperature of -269 degrees Celsius. The Antiproton Decelerator at CERN played a crucial role in this process by generating these secondary particles through a proton beam fired into a block of metal, allowing for the study of antimatter.
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(UPDATED March 24, 2026 13:44 UTC)
Today, researchers conducted a significant test drive to assess the transport of antiprotons in a compact device known as a transportable antiproton trap, which is designed to prevent leakage during a half-hour journey. This trap can fit through standard laboratory doors and is engineered to contain the antiprotons, which weigh slightly less than about 100 hydrogen atoms, even during sudden stops or starts of the truck. Heinrich Heine University is now preferred for antiproton studies, as CERN's magnetic interference has been a challenge for antimatter research, with the antiprotons generated at CERN's Antiproton Decelerator by firing a proton beam into a block of metal.
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(UPDATED March 24, 2026 09:30 UTC)
Today, scientists at CERN successfully conducted a test drive to transport about 100 antiprotons in a specially designed box, which lasted approximately four hours. The antiprotons, suspended in a vacuum and held in place by supercooled magnets, are intended for in-depth study at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany, as researchers explore the feasibility of this transport method. The transportable antiproton trap, weighing 1,000 kilograms, can only contain the antiprotons for about four hours, making the timing of this operation critical.