Antimatter Research Kicks Off

A massive particle detector designed to help scientists find antimatter is scheduled to dock on the International Space Station February 2011.

 

A computer generated image showing AMS-02 mounted to the ISS S3 Upper Inboard Payload Attach Site. (Credit: NASA/JSC)

 

A machine developed to find antimatter in space has just begun its preliminary steps toward its voyage to the International Space Station scheduled for February 2011, according to an article in Yahoo! News.  

The European Center of Nuclear Research, or CERN, has built the 8.3-ton device to be docked onto the International Space Station for twenty years in hopes of bringing evidence of antimatter, dark matter, and other phenomenon.    

Scientists believe the Big Bang created an equivalent amount of antimatter, as well as matter, but have never found any evidence of antimatter outside of laboratory experiments.    

The device has been in production for fifteen years and was so large in site it had to hitch a ride on an Air Force carrier jet used for delivering tanks and other large military equipment. The initial 747 jet was found to be too small.  

Some very interesting theories on antimatter exist and raise the question of whether or not we should really be investigating something so powerful. It may advance scientific research and ability in some ways, but could pose yet another unnecessary risk to human life.