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Creators/Authors contains: "Urioni, M"

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  1. Abstract Einstein’s general theory of relativity from 19151remains the most successful description of gravitation. From the 1919 solar eclipse2to the observation of gravitational waves3, the theory has passed many crucial experimental tests. However, the evolving concepts of dark matter and dark energy illustrate that there is much to be learned about the gravitating content of the universe. Singularities in the general theory of relativity and the lack of a quantum theory of gravity suggest that our picture is incomplete. It is thus prudent to explore gravity in exotic physical systems. Antimatter was unknown to Einstein in 1915. Dirac’s theory4appeared in 1928; the positron was observed5in 1932. There has since been much speculation about gravity and antimatter. The theoretical consensus is that any laboratory mass must be attracted6by the Earth, although some authors have considered the cosmological consequences if antimatter should be repelled by matter7–10. In the general theory of relativity, the weak equivalence principle (WEP) requires that all masses react identically to gravity, independent of their internal structure. Here we show that antihydrogen atoms, released from magnetic confinement in the ALPHA-g apparatus, behave in a way consistent with gravitational attraction to the Earth. Repulsive ‘antigravity’ is ruled out in this case. This experiment paves the way for precision studies of the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration between anti-atoms and the Earth to test the WEP. 
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  2. Free, publicly-accessible full text available September 1, 2026
  3. Free, publicly-accessible full text available July 1, 2026
  4. The ALICE Collaboration reports measurements of the large relative transverse momentum ( k T ) component of jet substructure in p p and Pb-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair s NN = 5.02 TeV . Enhancement in the yield of such large- k T emissions in head-on Pb-Pb collisions is predicted to arise from partonic scattering with quasiparticles of the quark-gluon plasma. The analysis utilizes charged-particle jets reconstructed by the anti- k T algorithm with resolution parameter R = 0.2 in the transverse-momentum interval 60 < p T , ch , jet < 80 GeV / c . The soft drop and dynamical grooming algorithms are used to identify high transverse momentum splittings in the jet shower. Comparison of measurements in Pb-Pb and p p collisions shows medium-induced narrowing, corresponding to yield suppression of high- k T splittings, in contrast to the expectation of yield enhancement due to quasiparticle scattering. The measurements are compared to theoretical model calculations incorporating jet modification due to jet-medium interactions (“jet quenching”), both with and without quasiparticle scattering effects. These measurements provide new insight into the underlying mechanisms and theoretical modeling of jet quenching. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available July 1, 2026
  5. Abstract This paper presents a study of the inclusive forward J/ψyield as a function of forward charged-particle multiplicity in pp collisions at$$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV using data collected by the ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC. The results are presented in terms of relativeJ/ψyields and relative charged-particle multiplicities with respect to these quantities obtained in inelastic collisions having at least one charged particle in the pseudorapidity range |η|<1. The J/ψmesons are reconstructed via their decay intoμ+μpairs in the forward rapidity region (2.5< y <4). The relative multiplicity is estimated in the forward pseudorapidity range which overlaps with the J/ψrapidity region. The results show a steeper-than-linear increase of the J/ψyields versus the multiplicity. They are compared with previous measurements and theoretical model calculations. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available July 1, 2026
  6. A<sc>bstract</sc> We report on the measurement of inclusive, non-prompt, and prompt J/ψ-hadron correlations by the ALICE Collaboration at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The correlations are studied at midrapidity (|y| <0.9) in the transverse momentum rangespT<40 GeV/cfor the J/ψand 0.15< pT<10 GeV/cand |η|<0.9 for the associated hadrons. The measurement is based on minimum bias and high multiplicity data samples corresponding to integrated luminosities ofLint= 34 nb−1andLint= 6.9 pb−1, respectively. In addition, two more data samples are employed, requiring, on top of the minimum bias condition, a threshold on the tower energy ofE= 4 and 9 GeV in the ALICE electromagnetic calorimeters, which correspond to integrated luminosities ofLint= 0.9 pb−1andLint= 8.4 pb−1, respectively. The azimuthally integrated near and away side yields of associated charged hadrons per J/ψtrigger are presented as a function of the J/ψand associated hadron transverse momentum. The measurements are discussed in comparison to PYTHIA calculations. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available July 1, 2026
  7. Free, publicly-accessible full text available June 1, 2026
  8. The production yields of the orbitally excited charm-strange mesons D s 1 ( 1 + ) ( 2536 ) + and D s 2 * ( 2 + ) ( 2573 ) + were measured for the first time in proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The D s 1 + and D s 2 * + mesons were measured at midrapidity ( | y | < 0.5 ) in minimum-bias and high-multiplicity pp collisions in the transverse-momentum interval 2 < p T < 24 GeV / c . Their production yields relative to the D s + ground-state yield were found to be compatible between minimum-bias and high-multiplicity collisions, as well as with previous measurements in e ± p and e + e collisions. The measured D s 1 + / D s + and D s 2 * + / D s + yield ratios are described by statistical hadronization models and can be used to tune the parameters governing the production of excited charm-strange hadrons in Monte Carlo generators, such as 8. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available June 1, 2026
  9. The correlations between event-by-event fluctuations of symmetry planes are measured in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair s N N = 5.02 TeV recorded by the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This analysis is conducted using the Gaussian estimator technique, which is insensitive to biases from correlations between different flow amplitudes. The study presents, for the first time, the centrality dependence of correlations involving up to five different symmetry planes. The correlation strength varies depending on the harmonic order of the symmetry plane and the collision centrality. Comparisons with measurements from lower energies indicate no significant differences within uncertainties. Additionally, the results are compared with hydrodynamic model calculations. Although the model predictions provide a qualitative explanation of the experimental results, they overestimate the data for some observables. This is particularly true for correlators that are sensitive to the nonlinear response of the medium to initial-state anisotropies in the collision system. As these new correlators provide unique information—independent of flow amplitudes—their usage in future model developments can further constrain the properties of the strongly interacting matter created in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available June 1, 2026
  10. A<sc>bstract</sc> ThepT-differential cross section ofωmeson production in pp collisions at$$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV at midrapidity (|y| <0.5) was measured with the ALICE detector at the LHC, covering an unprecedented transverse-momentum range of 1.6< pT<50 GeV/c. The meson is reconstructed via theω→π+ππ0decay channel. The results are compared with various theoretical calculations: PYTHIA8.2 with the Monash 2013 tune overestimates the data by up to 50%, whereas good agreement is observed with Next-to-Leading Order (NLO) calculations incorporatingωfragmentation using a broken SU(3) model. Theω/π0ratio is presented and compared with theoretical calculations and the available measurements at lower collision energies. The presented data triples thepTranges of previously available measurements. A constant ratio ofCω/π0= 0.578 ± 0.006 (stat.) ± 0.013 (syst.) is found above a transverse momentum of 4 GeV/c, which is in agreement with previous findings at lower collision energies within the systematic and statistical uncertainties. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available April 1, 2026