Picture by Gareth Jones
Particle physics enthusiasts were invited to share an evening with University of Liverpool’s Professor Tara Shears OBE to discover insights into one of the Universe’s greatest mysteries at a special event hosted by the Institute of Physics (IOP) Women in Physics Group.
Professor Shears, who is Vice-President for Science and Innovation on the IOP Council, began the evening by sharing her personal journey in physics, reflecting on her career and experiences in the field before delivering a talk exploring the fascinating science of antimatter and its importance in understanding the origins and evolution of the Universe.
Antimatter is a form of matter made up of particles that have the same mass as their ordinary matter counterparts but opposite electric charges. Scientists believe that matter and antimatter were created in equal quantities during the Big Bang, yet the Universe today is overwhelmingly dominated by matter.
Understanding what happened to the antimatter, and why matter came to dominate the Universe, remains one of the biggest unanswered questions in modern physics.
During her talk, Professor Shears explored how scientists are investigating this fundamental mystery through sophisticated experiments at CERN, the European laboratory for particle physics, and aboard the International Space Station.
She discussed the latest developments in antimatter research and the experimental approaches being used to understand its properties, highlighting how advances in particle physics are helping scientists investigate some of the most fundamental questions about the Universe.
Professor Shears said:
“Antimatter is such a deep mystery in physics. How can such a rare and elusive substance play such a decisive role in shaping our universe? It fascinates me that we can replicate some of its behaviour in our experiments and yet still not understand what went on in the early moments of the Universe. It was fantastic to share this with the Women in Physics group, including some of our new students.”
The event brought together scientific research, personal experiences and opportunities for professional networking, highlighting the importance of sharing scientific knowledge and encouraging engagement with physics.
Professor Tara Shears co-leads the University of Liverpool’s Particle Physics frontier which drives innovation in instrumentation and analysis. Through the innovation of our scientists, we develop cutting-edge detector technology for major experiments at facilities like CERN and Fermilab as well as provide expert analysis to uncover new physics and deepen our understanding of the universe’s smallest elements. Watch this video to find out more.