Quest for the Origin of the Universe: Scientists in a Race to Understand Why We Exist
WASHINGTON — Inside a laboratory nestled above the mist of the forests of South Dakota, scientists are on a mission to unlock one of the greatest mysteries of science: why does our Universe exist?
They are engaged in a fierce competition with a team of Japanese scientists who are already several years ahead in the race for answers.
The current theory of the Universe’s creation falls short in explaining the presence of planets, stars, and galaxies. Both teams are focusing on studying neutrinos, a sub-atomic particle, in the hopes of shedding light on this enigma.
The US-led international collaboration is pinning its hopes on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (Dune), where scientists will descend 1,500 meters below the surface into vast underground caverns. The sheer scale of the construction work makes the bulldozers look like tiny toys in comparison.
Describing the caverns as “cathedrals to science,” Dr. Jaret Heise, the science director of the facility, has been involved in their construction for nearly a decade. These caverns at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (Surf) shield Dune from external noise and radiation, setting the stage for the next phase of their research.
“We are on the brink of constructing a detector that could revolutionize our understanding of the Universe, with contributions from over 1,400 scientists representing 35 countries, all eager to unravel the mystery of our existence,” Dr. Heise explains.
At the moment of the Universe’s creation, two types of particles were formed: matter, which constitutes stars, planets, and everything in our surroundings, and antimatter, the exact opposite of matter.
Theoretically, these two components should have annulled each other, leaving behind a burst of energy. Yet, here we are, made of matter.
Scientists believe that studying neutrinos and their antimatter counterpart, anti-neutrinos, may hold the key to understanding why matter prevailed. Beams of both particles will be sent from Illinois to detectors in South Dakota, as neutrinos and anti-neutrinos undergo subtle changes during their journey.
The goal is to determine if these changes differ between neutrinos and anti-neutrinos, potentially explaining the persistence of matter in the Universe.
With Dune being an international collaboration of 1,400 scientists from thirty countries, Dr. Kate Shaw from Sussex University anticipates transformative discoveries that will reshape our comprehension of the Universe and humanity’s place within it.
Across the globe, Japanese scientists are working on Hyper-K, a larger and improved version of their existing neutrino detector, Super-K. This shining temple of science mirrors the grandeur of the South Dakota cathedral, with the Japanese team set to activate their neutrino beam in less than three years, well ahead of the American project.
Dr. Mark Scott of Imperial College, London, is confident in their position to make groundbreaking discoveries about the Universe’s origins, emphasizing their early activation and larger detector for enhanced sensitivity compared to Dune.
While the race is on, Dr. Linda Cremonesi of Queen Mary University of London, part of the Dune project, suggests that being first may not provide a complete understanding of the neutrinos’ behavior.
As the competition heats up, the first results are expected in a few years, keeping the mystery of our existence at the beginning of time shrouded in uncertainty – for now. — BBC
