This data may help explain the fundamental asymmetry of the universe: why there is more matter than antimatter, reports Focus.
According to the laws of physics, matter and antimatter behave the same and were formed in equal amounts as a result of the Big Bang. Matter and antimatter annihilate each other upon interaction, converting into pure energy. This means that there should be nothing in the universe except energy. But this is not the case, and physicists do not know why. It is also unknown why the universe is predominantly made of matter rather than antimatter. Now, neutrino research provides some clues that may help unravel one of the greatest mysteries of physics. The study is published in the journal Nature, reports IFLScience.
Neutrinos are fundamental elementary particles, meaning they are not made up of smaller particles like protons and neutrons. Neutrinos are called ghost particles because they can pass through matter with virtually no interaction. Every second, 100 trillion neutrinos pass through a human body. They are the most abundant particles in the universe, having no charge and possessing a tiny mass.
Physicists believe that neutrinos hold the key to solving some of the universe's mysteries, such as the origin of matter and its predominance in the cosmos over antimatter. The new study sheds light on the mass difference between types of neutrinos, which is a key question that remains unanswered.
Physicists know of three types of neutrinos, each called a flavor: electron neutrinos, muon neutrinos, and tau neutrinos. Neutrinos can spontaneously change flavors, a phenomenon known as neutrino oscillations. Physicists do not know the exact masses of the three types of neutrinos and do not even know which one is the lightest.
The mass of a neutrino is formed through a combination of mass states. This means that the mass of one neutrino represents a combination of these states, but they do not correspond to the flavors. Each flavor can represent a mixture of three mass states and can be in normal or inverted order. In normal order, there are two light states and one heavy state. In inverted order, there are two heavy states and one light state.
If the mass states are in normal order, the probability that muon neutrinos convert into electron neutrinos is higher, while the probability that muon antineutrinos convert into electron antineutrinos is lower. The reverse occurs in inverted order.
New data obtained during neutrino experiments have allowed for a more precise determination of the mass difference between the mass states of neutrinos. Physicists also found that there is no clear preference regarding the order of masses. However, if the inverted order of masses is correct, the data suggest that this could be a key reason why the universe is made of matter and not antimatter. This discovery is not proof but rather an intriguing hint. Further research is needed.
Scientists say they have a clue pointing to why the universe is predominantly made of matter rather than antimatter. Somehow, matter triumphed over antimatter, and thanks to this, we exist.
