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All the matter yous've always interacted with has mass, and every bit such information technology obeys the standard laws of motility as enunciated by Newton centuries ago. If you push button something, it moves in the direction you push it. Still, affair with negative mass would exercise the opposite. It sounds like wacky science fiction, simply information technology's close to becoming reality. Researchers at the University of Rochester have worked out a way to create negative mass particles using, what else, lasers. Is there annihilation lasers can't do?

Physicists have been chasing real-earth examples of negative mass for years, but it'south all been theoretical until recently. The math predicted negative mass was possible, though. In the classic physics equation for force (F = ma), all three variables are positive. However, if yous brand mass a negative number, the resulting forcefulness is negative as well. Thus, pushing an object with negative mass causes it to advance toward you. Try to pull it toward you and it'll move abroad. It's a real listen-bough.

The University of Rochester squad says the new experiment published in Nature Optics is the start example of creating particles that exhibit negative mass. In the experiment, a laser bounces off mirrors inside a small optical cavity. The key to generating negative mass particles was the use of an ultra-sparse semiconductor made of molybdenum diselenide. The photos on the light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation and excitons in the semiconductor and then interact to produce the negative mass furnishings.

Harold White's possible warp drive, and star ship

The Alcubierre warp drive makes employ of negative mass.

We're getting into serious condensed matter physics here, merely the gist is that an exciton is a leap breakthrough land of an electron and an "electron hole" where an electron could exist in the semiconductor. The end result of this interaction is a new quasiparticle called a polariton that has negative mass. The researchers verified negative mass qualities in the experiment, but we're a long manner from harnessing that power to actually do something.

Lead author Nick Vamivakas describes a style negative mass particles could be employed in, you lot guessed it, lasers. Applying an electric field across a device with negative mass particles could allow researchers to apply push button and pull forces with much more efficiency. With polaritons, information technology's possible to generate a laser with much lower energy input. Taking things to a more sci-fi place, negative mass is also i of the requirements for the theoretical Alcubierre warp drive. Of grade, we're a long way from figuring out how to brand that much negative mass.