瑞士研究团队用"原子炮"测试爱因斯坦引力理论

苏黎世联邦理工学院与保罗谢勒研究所的研究人员开发了一种创新方法，能够产生受控的正电子素原子束，以对爱因斯坦的广义相对论进行前所未有的测试12。这项技术突破使科学家首次能够检验引力是否按照爱因斯坦理论对第二代粒子作用的方式完全相同2。研究人员利用高强度、超热正电子束来进行这一实验1。

正电子素具有约2.2微秒的寿命，研究团队通过将超流氦冷却至接近绝对零度来产生和控制这种奇异物质2。科学家希望在今年进行首次方法测试，而实际引力实验应在两到三年后进行2。研究人员表示，这项工作首次能够测量引力和惯性质量之间的等效性是否也适用于第二代粒子2。如果发现任何意外差异，可能指向新物理现象，包括假设的第五种力2。这一研究已发表在《自然物理学》期刊上2。

Researchers at ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute have developed a novel method to generate controlled beams of muonium atoms, an exotic form of matter 2. This technological breakthrough enables scientists to conduct the first direct test of whether gravity acts identically on second-generation particles as Einstein's theory predicts 2.

The experiment centers on the equivalence principle, a cornerstone of general relativity, which posits that gravitational and inertial mass are fundamentally equivalent 2. Using high-intensity, superthermal muonium beams, the research team aims to probe whether this principle holds universally across all particle types 12. If unexpected deviations emerge from Einstein's predictions, the findings could point toward previously unknown physics phenomena, potentially including a hypothetical fifth force 2. Muonium atoms have a lifespan of approximately 2.2 microseconds, and the experimental setup involves cooling superfluid helium to near absolute zero at approximately negative 273 degrees Celsius 2.

The research team plans to conduct initial methodology tests this year, with the actual gravitational experiments expected to begin within two to three years 2. One researcher stated, "I simply want to measure, for the first time, whether the equivalence between gravitational and inertial mass also applies to the second generation of particles" 2. The findings have been published in the journal Nature Physics 2.