Can Matter and Antimatter Be the Same Thing?

On March 25th, 1938, 31-year-old physicist named Ettore Majorana bought a ticket for a ferry from Palermo to Naples . That night before boarding, he sent a letter to Antonio Carelli, director of the Naples Physics Institute . He wrote, "Dear Carelli, I made a decision that has become unavoidable . There isn't a bit of selfishness in it, but I realize what trouble my sudden disappearance will cause you in the students . For this as well, I beg your forgiveness . But especially for betraying the trust, the sincere friendship, and the sympathy you gave me over the past months . I ask you to remember me to all those I learned to know and appreciate in your institute, especially Sciuti . I will keep a fond memory of them all, at least until 11:00 p.m. tonight, possibly later, too." He was never seen again . Enrico Fermi, affectionately known as the Pope of Physics , had this to say about him, "Quote, there are several categories of scientists in the world do their best, but never get very far . Then there is the first rank, those who make important discoveries fundamental to scientific progress . But then there are the geniuses, like Galileo and Newton . Majorana was one of these . One year before he disappeared, Majorana published his last paper, a strange, quiet little paper that most physicists ignored at the time . It described a theoretical possibility, a particle that is its own antiparticle , something that shouldn't be able to exist , something that, if it does exist, just might unlock the future of physics . We still don't know what happened to Ettore Majorana , and we still don't know if he was right . Hey, I'm Paul Sutter. I'm a cosmologist . Let's talk about the universe . [music] [music] Yes. this episode is going to be about . Neutrinos, if you'll recall from previous rage-filled diatribes on the subject, are awful . They spoil everything . We basically had all physics figured out . I'm exaggerating, but what vibe with me here , until the neutrino came along . It doesn't behave. It