Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Antimatter summary
Frank Close
A must-read classic of modern science
21 mins
Brief summary
'Antimatter' by Frank Close details the discovery, study, and use of antimatter in modern physics, encompassing the history and future of this exotic substance.
Table of Contents
Antimatter
Summary of 6 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 6
Antimatter is the mirror image of normal matter.
June 30, 1908. Far east of Moscow, deep in the remote region of Siberia, something astounding happens. Out of nowhere, an earth-shattering boom. A blast so powerful, it’s visible 700 kilometers away. A heat so intense, it melts silverware 60 kilometers away.
This is the Tunguska Event. This massive, mysterious explosion releases a burst of energy comparable to a nuclear detonation or meteor strike. Yet, at the time, atomic bombs are decades away and no meteorite is ever found at the site. So what caused this catastrophe?
One possibility is antimatter. When this eerie, elusive substance comes into contact with everyday matter, it releases energy on a cosmic scale. Just one kilogram could kick off a reaction 100 times more powerful than nuclear fusion. It sounds like science fiction, but it is very, very real.
The key message here is: Antimatter is the mirror image of normal matter.
So, what is antimatter? To answer this question, it’s best to start with normal matter. Normal matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms. These atoms are made up of even tinier electrically charged particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons. In the center of each atom are protons, which have a positive charge, and neutrons, which have a neutral charge. Orbiting the center are electrons, which have a negative charge. A simple atom like hydrogen has a single positive proton at its center and a single negative electron orbiting it.
Put simply, antimatter has exactly the same structure, but it’s inverted. An antihydrogen atom is a mirror image of a normal hydrogen atom. It has a single negatively charged proton, or antiproton, at its center, and a positively charged electron, called a positron, orbiting it.
Matter and antimatter need each other to exist, despite being opposites. Why? Well, Einstein's theory of relativity explains that all forms of matter are essentially energy trapped in a physical form – so an electron is pure energy distilled into a particle. But energy itself is neutral; while it can change forms, it can’t be created or destroyed. So when it congeals into a negatively charged electron, it must also produce the inverse: a positively charged proton.
It’s a bit like digging a hole – to delve deeper into the ground, you must always pile up an equal but opposite mound of dirt. However, if matter and antimatter ever come into contact, they eliminate each other. And this elimination releases the huge amount of energy trapped in each substance in one massive gamma-ray burst.
Quote: “With antimatter, the negative image of matter, we make contact with the gods of creation.”
Want to see all full key ideas from Antimatter?
Key ideas in Antimatter
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Antimatter about?
Antimatter (2010) is a detailed look at one of the most mysterious and misunderstood topics in physics: antimatter. This accessible guide explains what antimatter is, how it works, and what it can teach us about the universe.
Best quote from Antimatter
Antimatter could only ever become a practical source of energy if we first found large amounts somewhere, analogous to oil deposits on earth.
—Frank Close
Who should read Antimatter?
- Stargazers curious about the makeup of the universe
- Sci-fi fans interested in the facts behind their favorite fiction
- Anyone who has ever felt flummoxed by advanced physics
Categories with Antimatter
Book summaries like Antimatter
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
29 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth