@sa
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09920-0
"This discovery marks the first time scientists have directly observed the transformation of virtual "nothingness" into tangible, detectable matter. When protons collide at near-light speeds, the resulting energy promotes virtual particles into reality, allowing researchers to trace their origins back to the quantum vacuum.
The fact that these "quantum twins" maintain their spin alignment during the transition suggests a deep, surviving connection between the vacuum and the visible universe.
This breakthrough offers a revolutionary window into how fundamental properties emerge and could eventually help solve the mystery of how quarks bind together to form the atoms that build our world."
- soulpost via: https://www.reddit.com/r/HotScienceNews/comments/1r19zdp/worlds_first_particle_collider_shows_matter/