| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Agent Smith" |
| Date: |
12 Jan 2008 10:04:59 PM |
| Object: |
Source of mysterious antimatter found |
Source of mysterious antimatter found
http://tinyurl.com/383x4h
Antimatter, which annihilates matter upon contact, seems to be rare in
the universe. Still, for decades, scientists had clues that a vast cloud
of antimatter lurked in space, but they did not know where it came from.
The mysterious source of this antimatter has now been discovered --
stars getting ripped apart by neutron stars and black holes.
While antimatter propulsion systems are so far the stuff of science
fiction, antimatter is very real.
What it is
All elementary particles, such as protons and electrons, have antimatter
counterparts with the same mass but the opposite charge. For instance,
the antimatter opposite of an electron, known as a positron, is
positively charged.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Physics
When a particle meets its antiparticle, they destroy each other,
releasing a burst of energy such as gamma rays. In 1978, gamma ray
detectors flown on balloons detected a type of gamma ray emerging from
space that is known to be emitted when electrons collide with positrons
-- meaning there was antimatter in space.
"It was quite a surprise back then to discover part of the universe was
made of antimatter," researcher Gerry Skinner, an astrophysicist at
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., told SPACE.com.
These gamma rays apparently came from a cloud of antimatter roughly
10,000 light-years across surrounding our galaxy's core. This giant
cloud shines brightly with gamma rays, with about the energy of 10,000
suns.
What exactly generated the antimatter was a mystery for the following
decades. Suspects have included everything from exploding stars to dark
matter.
Now, an international research team looking over four years of data from
the European Space Agency's International Gamma Ray Astrophysics
Laboratory (INTEGRAL) satellite has pinpointed the apparent culprits.
Their new findings suggest these positrons originate mainly from stars
getting devoured by black holes and neutron stars.
As a black hole or neutron star destroys a star, tremendous amounts of
radiation are released. Just as electrons and positrons emit the tell-
tale gamma rays upon annihilation, so too can gamma rays combine to form
electrons and positrons, providing the mechanism for the creation of the
antimatter cloud, scientists think.
Billions and billions
The researchers calculate that a relatively ordinary star getting torn
apart by a black hole or neutron star orbiting around it -- a so-called
"low mass X-ray binary" -- could spew on the order of one hundred
thousand billion billion billion billion positrons (a 1 followed by 41
zeroes) per second. These could account for a great deal of the
antimatter that scientists have inferred, reducing or potentially
eliminating the need for exotic explanations such as ones involving dark
matter.
"Simple estimates suggest that about half and possibly all the
antimatter is coming from X-ray binaries," said researcher Georg
Weidenspointner of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
in Germany.
Now that they have witnessed the death of antimatter, the scientists
hope to see its birth.
"It would be interesting if black holes produced more matter than
neutron stars, or vice versa, although it's too early to say one way or
the other right now," Skinner explained. "It can be surprisingly hard to
tell the difference between an X-ray binaries that hold black holes and
neutron stars."
Weidenspointner, Skinner and their colleagues, detailed their findings
in the Jan. 10 issue of the journal Nature.
Copyright 2007, SPACE.com Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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| User: "Dangerosa" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
12 Jan 2008 11:23:31 PM |
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On Jan 12, 11:04=A0pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
=2E..snip
Now that they have witnessed the death of antimatter, the scientists
hope to see its birth.
Sounds so Star Wars-y and over my head but when anti-matter dies does
it create matter?
Whoever is first to weaponize anti-matter will be seriously dangerous.
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| User: "Agent Smith" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
13 Jan 2008 05:57:08 AM |
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Dangerosa <dangerossa@gmail.com> wrote in news:93671b86-f7b2-40cc-b94f-
132527af2ec4@v29g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:
On Jan 12, 11:04 pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
...snip
Now that they have witnessed the death of antimatter, the scientists
hope to see its birth.
Sounds so Star Wars-y and over my head but when anti-matter dies does
it create matter?
What anti-matter dies, it creates gamma rays.
Whoever is first to weaponize anti-matter will be seriously dangerous.
Don't hold your breath.
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| User: "More Knowledge" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
12 Jan 2008 11:40:28 PM |
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In article <93671b86-f7b2-40cc-b94f-132527af2ec4@v29g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,
Dangerosa says...
On Jan 12, 11:04=A0pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
=2E..snip
Now that they have witnessed the death of antimatter, the scientists
hope to see its birth.
Sounds so Star Wars-y and over my head but when anti-matter dies does
it create matter?
Whoever is first to weaponize anti-matter will be seriously dangerous.
No *****. They'll be using them to rob liquor stores. Why use a Glock 9mm when
you can vaporize the store clerk?
MKnowledge
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| User: "Agent Smith" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
13 Jan 2008 05:57:56 AM |
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More Knowledge <More_member@newsguy.com> wrote in
news:fmc88c0q7d@drn.newsguy.com:
In article
<93671b86-f7b2-40cc-b94f-132527af2ec4@v29g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,
Dangerosa says...
On Jan 12, 11:04=A0pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
=2E..snip
Now that they have witnessed the death of antimatter, the scientists
hope to see its birth.
Sounds so Star Wars-y and over my head but when anti-matter dies does
it create matter?
Whoever is first to weaponize anti-matter will be seriously dangerous.
No *****. They'll be using them to rob liquor stores. Why use a Glock
9mm when you can vaporize the store clerk?
Why vaporize the store clerk when you can nuke the entire city?
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| User: "Al Nakba" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
17 Jan 2008 06:47:53 PM |
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On Jan 12, 9:40=A0pm, More Knowledge <More_mem...@newsguy.com> wrote:
In article <93671b86-f7b2-40cc-b94f-132527af2...@v29g2000hsf.googlegroups.=
com>,
Dangerosa says...
On Jan 12, 11:04=3DA0pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
=3D2E..snip
Now that they have witnessed the death of antimatter, the scientists
hope to see its birth.
Sounds so Star Wars-y and over my head but when anti-matter dies does
it create matter?
Whoever is first to weaponize anti-matter will be seriously dangerous.
No *****. =A0They'll be using them to rob liquor stores. =A0Why use a Glock=
9mm when
you can vaporize the store clerk?
MKnowledge
I'm getting my tinfoil hat! I recommend Reynolds Extra Strength..
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| User: "Agent Smith" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
18 Jan 2008 06:05:50 AM |
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Al Nakba <williamhubbard@bluebottle.com> wrote in
news:6eea4ec2-2812-4ba3-bdf2-927728cd7ced@1g2000hsl.googlegroups.com:
On Jan 12, 9:40 pm, More Knowledge <More_mem...@newsguy.com> wrote:
In article
<93671b86-f7b2-40cc-b94f-132527af2...@v29g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,
Dangerosa says...
On Jan 12, 11:04=A0pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
...snip
Now that they have witnessed the death of antimatter, the
scientists hope to see its birth.
Sounds so Star Wars-y and over my head but when anti-matter dies
does it create matter?
Whoever is first to weaponize anti-matter will be seriously
dangerous.
No *****. They'll be using them to rob liquor stores. Why use a
Glock 9mm when you can vaporize the store clerk?
MKnowledge
I'm getting my tinfoil hat! I recommend Reynolds Extra Strength..
Just don't start wearing a propellor beaine, and we'll all be happy.
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| User: "TranslucentAmoebae" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
13 Jan 2008 01:52:52 PM |
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On Jan 12, 8:04 pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
http://tinyurl.com/383x4h
Antimatter, which anni...e difference between an X-ray binaries that hold black holes and
neutron stars."
Weidenspointner, Skinner and their colleagues, detailed their findings
in the Jan. 10 issue of the journal Nature.
Copyright 2007, SPACE.com Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Seeing as how this was posted to alt.gossip.celebrities, i was sure
that it was going to end with:
Antimatter found to be emanating from Tom Cruise's Butt.
( Fill in your favorite actor/ess )
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| User: "Dangerosa" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
13 Jan 2008 01:58:17 PM |
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On Jan 13, 2:52=A0pm, TranslucentAmoebae <transamoe...@seanet.com>
wrote:
On Jan 12, 8:04 pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
Antimatter, which anni...e difference between an X-ray binaries that hol=
d black holes and
neutron stars."
Seeing as how this was posted to alt.gossip.celebrities, i was sure
that it was going to end with:
Antimatter found to be emanating from Tom Cruise's Butt.
( Fill in your favorite actor/ess )
You're right because I can't think of anything that matters less than
Tom Cruise's butt.
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| User: "Agent Smith" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
13 Jan 2008 03:51:28 PM |
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Dangerosa <dangerossa@gmail.com> wrote in
news:c827acec-fd3b-487c-9217-e63f59e71029@s8g2000prg.googlegroups.com:
On Jan 13, 2:52 pm, TranslucentAmoebae <transamoe...@seanet.com>
wrote:
On Jan 12, 8:04 pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
Antimatter, which anni...e difference between an X-ray binaries
that hol
d black holes and
neutron stars."
Seeing as how this was posted to alt.gossip.celebrities, i was sure
that it was going to end with:
Antimatter found to be emanating from Tom Cruise's Butt.
( Fill in your favorite actor/ess )
You're right because I can't think of anything that matters less than
Tom Cruise's butt.
How about anti-matter being emitted from your tv set? It's not quite
true, because strictly, it's "anti-information" being emitted from your
tv set. But the resulting effects are quite similar. :(
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| User: "Timothy Partee" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
17 Jan 2008 04:05:43 PM |
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Agent Smith wrote:
Dangerosa <dangerossa@gmail.com> wrote in
news:c827acec-fd3b-487c-9217-e63f59e71029@s8g2000prg.googlegroups.com:
On Jan 13, 2:52 pm, TranslucentAmoebae <transamoe...@seanet.com>
wrote:
On Jan 12, 8:04 pm, Agent Smith <agent-sm...@two-blocks-on-your-
left.com> wrote:
Source of mysterious antimatter found
Antimatter, which anni...e difference between an X-ray binaries
that hol
d black holes and
neutron stars."
Seeing as how this was posted to alt.gossip.celebrities, i was sure
that it was going to end with:
Antimatter found to be emanating from Tom Cruise's Butt.
( Fill in your favorite actor/ess )
You're right because I can't think of anything that matters less than
Tom Cruise's butt.
How about anti-matter being emitted from your tv set? It's not quite
true, because strictly, it's "anti-information" being emitted from your
tv set. But the resulting effects are quite similar. :(
Thank you Reverend Min.
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| User: "Magda" |
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| Title: Re: Source of mysterious antimatter found |
13 Jan 2008 05:37:44 AM |
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On Sun, 13 Jan 2008 04:04:59 GMT, in alt.gossip.celebrities, Agent Smith
<agent-smith@two-blocks-on-your-left.com> arranged some electrons, so they looked like
this:
...
... Source of mysterious antimatter found
...
... http://tinyurl.com/383x4h
Antimatter is a celebrity now?
---
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Virus Database (VPS): 080112-0, 12/01/2008
Tested on: 13/01/2008 12:37:45
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2008 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com
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