Cold radioactive molecules offer a tabletop route to new physics
Physicists have developed a method to cool radioactive molecules to near absolute zero, allowing for tabletop experiments to test fundamental physics. This approach provides a more accessible way to search for symmetry violations that could explain the matter-antimatter imbalance in the universe.
Why it matters
This innovation democratizes high-energy physics research by reducing the reliance on massive, expensive particle accelerators.
A new method of stabilizing radioactive molecules could open the door to sensitive searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. The approach, which involves cooling radium-bearing molecules to just above absolute zero, offers a tabletop alternative to experiments that use particle accelerators to look for violations of fundamental symmetries. According to lead researcher Nick Hutzler , a physicist at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), US, it also shows that university laboratories can safely handle these radioactive materials, paving the way for similar studies at other institutions.
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