tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14470721.post5061200633459858851..comments2023-09-09T01:01:15.645+10:00Comments on emunctory: Fizzy Cysts and other lancible carbunclesunique_stephenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01137046158732977521noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14470721.post-35844702692165638952007-08-03T12:10:00.000+10:002007-08-03T12:10:00.000+10:00ah yes, i know that paper well.ah yes, i know that paper well.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458525459740054860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14470721.post-13959560392701833692007-07-31T16:58:00.000+10:002007-07-31T16:58:00.000+10:00Gee - if only . were right....I can never resist a...Gee - if only . were right....<BR/><BR/>I can never resist a physical discussion. Steve hit the nail on the head - the easiest way to get antimatter is for a photon to disintegrate into an electron and it's positive partner, the positron. Hence you always generate 1 particle of matter with 1 particle of antimatter. This begs the question of where all the antimatter is at the moment, as we seem to be walking around without exploding into flashes of light. It suggests that there is an asymmetry in the laws of nature that favours matter over anti-matter. In fact this is true - and it can be measured in accelerators experiments. Measurement, unfortunately, does not always imply understanding - we still don't know WHY there is an asymmetry - it is possible that neutrinos, through a complicated process called leptogenesis, can help tell us. This is why I spend my life firing neutrinos through substantial fractions of the earth's crust. Later I'll do it with anti-neutrinos and see if there is any difference in their behaviour - if there is, then neutrinos also violate this matter-antimatter symmetry and we might know a bit more.<BR/><BR/>Also, for inexplicable reasons (boys with toys?), I just think it's cool...<BR/><BR/>SteveBAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14470721.post-69035313797617203842007-07-31T09:45:00.000+10:002007-07-31T09:45:00.000+10:00Matthew - long time no CMike - when you create a p...Matthew - long time no C<BR/><BR/>Mike - when you create a particle you also create it's anti particle. So why is there a bias towards one type of mass in the universe? Where is the symmetry? Thus is the Standard Model challenged.<BR/><BR/>Libby - It's sickening isn't it.unique_stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01137046158732977521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14470721.post-91788988324297562642007-07-31T02:09:00.000+10:002007-07-31T02:09:00.000+10:00*Heavy Sigh* (Giant Doe-eyed Gazing at described g...*Heavy Sigh* (Giant Doe-eyed Gazing at described genius).https://www.blogger.com/profile/05657193782138056826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14470721.post-37758482250250171252007-07-30T21:04:00.000+10:002007-07-30T21:04:00.000+10:00"why is there more matter than antimatter in the u...<EM>"why is there more matter than antimatter in the universe?"</EM><BR/><BR/>Ok I'll take a guess :) Because if there were equal amounts nothing could exist because the two would destroy each other, leaving the universe completely neutral and homogeneous, right?<BR/><BR/>Then again, that's not actually an answer is it. It would be a result and not the cause.<BR/><BR/>Though I'm not a physicist either, so for all I know equal amounts of both matter and antimatter could mean the universe ultimately became a massive potato and I wouldn't know any better. Though in that instance I wouldn't be around to realise it...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14470721.post-37899754717198981842007-07-30T08:04:00.000+10:002007-07-30T08:04:00.000+10:00Aww, how cute. Wishing Adrian a super birthday......Aww, how cute. Wishing Adrian a super birthday..... Matthew C xxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com