Antimatter explores a strange mirror world, where particles have identical yet opposite properties to those that make up the familiar matter we encounter everyday; where left becomes right, positive becomes negative; and where, should matter and antimatter meet, the two annihilate in a blinding flash of energy that makes even thermonuclear explosions look feeble by comparison. It is an idea long beloved of science-fiction stories - but here, renowned science writer Frank Close shows that the reality of antimatter is even more fascinating than the fiction itself. We know that once, antimatter and matter existed in perfect counterbalance, and that antimatter then perpetrated a vanishing act on a cosmic scale that remains one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. Today, antimatter does not exist normally, at least on Earth, but we know that it is real for scientists are now able to make small pieces of it in particle accelerators, such as that at CERN in Geneva.Looking at the remarkable prediction of antimatter and how it grew from the meeting point of relativity and quantum theory in the early 20th century, at the discovery of the first antiparticles, at cosmic rays, annihilation, antimatter bombs, and antiworlds, Close separates the facts from the fiction about antimatter, and explains how its existence can give us profound clues about the origins and structure of the universe.
Reviews
This compact book is a wonderful source of information on antimatter and offers us a meticulously researched account of the nature, properties and applications of the often overlooked entities in the fantastic antiworld around us. Chemistry World A meticulously researched account of the nature, properties and application of the ...antiworld around us. Dennis Rouvray, Chemistry World ...worth reading for its beautifully concise history of one vital aspect of twentieth-century particle physics Mark Ronan, Times Literary Supplement His prose is clear, the concepts always understandable, his analysis always insightful. Mark Greener, Fortean Times Beautifully written..This book will inspire a sense of awe in even the most seasoned of physics readers. Amanda Gefter, New Scientist This is a must read for fans of science and science fiction alike. Dr John Gribbin, www.bbcfocusmagazine.com



Book Information
ISBN 9780199550166
Author Frank Close
Format Hardback
Page Count 176
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press