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At CERN's Antimatter Factory, scientists probe the mysteries of matter

By David Stock

Everything around us – from our bodies to the stars – is made of matter. But according to our best theories, none of it should exist. The big bang should have created equal amounts of matter and antimatter, and that should have caused the newborn universe to annihilate itself instantly. So why are we here?

In this video, we go behind the scenes at CERN, the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, to explore how scientists create, trap, transport and study antimatter at the appropriately named Antimatter Factory. Is there a tiny, fundamental difference between matter and antimatter? The answer could explain one of the oldest questions in science: Why is there something instead of nothing?

Read more: CERN upgrade: Inside the world’s largest scientific experiment

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