BASE experiment at CERN succeeds in transporting antimatter

Key Points:

• Scientists from the BASE experiment at CERN successfully transported a trap containing 92 antiprotons in a truck across the laboratory site, marking the first-ever mobile transport of antimatter.
• The portable cryogenic Penning trap used can maintain antiprotons at ultra-low temperatures and withstand transport vibrations, enabling continued experimentation post-transport.
• The goal is to move antiprotons to other European labs, such as Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, to perform higher-precision measurements free from magnetic field fluctuations present at CERN’s antimatter facility.
• This breakthrough addresses the challenge of preserving antimatter, which annihilates upon contact with matter, and aims to deepen understanding of why matter dominates the universe despite equal matter-antimatter production at the Big Bang.
• Future steps include ensuring the trap’s superconducting magnet remains below 8.2 K during longer transports and safely transferring antiprotons upon arrival, with ongoing efforts to equip the transport vehicle with necessary cryogenic cooling systems.