CERN experiments create and trap particles of anti-matter * 38 anti-hydrogen atoms trapped for long enough to study GENEVA, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Physicists at the European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN) announced on Wednesday they have created and trapped anti-matter, one of the biggest mysteries of modern science.

Star Trek - here we come!

It doesn't like that big a deal, but the ability to harness 'antimatter' must be a massive step forward in science. And they have to start somewhere, and 38 atoms is definitely a start!

The potential future of these sorts of discoveries can easily change the way the world is and can be...interesting stuff.

Sylvestor

Physicists probing the origins of the cosmos hope that next year they will turn up the first proofs of the existence of concepts long dear to science-fiction writers such as hidden worlds and extra dimensions.

And as their Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN near Geneva moves into high gear, they are talking increasingly of the "New Physics" on the horizon that could totally change current views of the universe and how it works.

"Parallel universes, unknown forms of matter, extra dimensions... These are not the stuff of cheap science fiction but very concrete physics theories that scientists are trying to confirm with the LHC and other experiments."

Its the quark-gluon plasma that makes it all worthwhile ;)

Who really cares about 'gay marriage' when we are on the brink of new dimensions! Literally! ;)

Sylvestor

(edit: added link to 'gay marriage' post)

By Katia Moskvitch Science reporter, BBC News

The Large Hadron Collider has successfully created a "mini-Big Bang" by smashing together lead ions instead of protons.

The scientists working at the enormous machine on Franco-Swiss border achieved the unique conditions on 7 November.

The experiment created temperatures a million times hotter than the centre of the Sun.

Two days later and we're still here...but wait, its not over yet folks! The LHC is still on track to go after the elusive 'god particle' expected results around December, 2012 ;) hmmm that date seems eerily familiar!

Sylvestor