matter: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 12, 2026

News •

Scientists achieve record-breaking low temperature on China's space station, paving the way for new physics experiments • Nov. 6, 2026, 12:00 PM ET (Phys.org)

Scientists Trapped an Antimatter Particle for Months to Study Its Secrets • Oct. 25, 2026, 8:00 AM ET (WIRED)

Photos and Videos

Two pie charts compare the universe's matter-energy content: 13.8 billion years ago, dark matter made up 63%, photons 15%, atoms 12%, and neutrinos 10%. Today, dark energy dominates at 69.4%, with dark matter at 26.1% and atoms at 4.5%.

Diagram showing the phase changes of matter with three circles labeled solid, liquid, and gas. Arrows indicate transitions: melting and freezing between solid and liquid, evaporation and condensation between liquid and gas, and sublimation and deposition between solid and gas.

How states of matter transform: Solid, liquid, and gas

1,000,000,001 − 1,000,000,000 = 1

Properties of Antimatter

Listen to astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson narrate a brief history of the formation of the universe, from the big bang to the present

Understand matter based on the Pauli exclusion principle

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Topics

radiation chemical bonding chemical element subatomic particle atom electricity liquid chemical compound time light Celebrating the Birth of a Genius Star Planet Astronomy principles of physical science mechanics optics chemistry Earth sciences quantum mechanics

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

radiation measurement: Radiation interactions in matter

Key People

Etching by Jacob de Gheyn III showing Thales of Miletus seated with a long beard, draped in robes, holding a compass over an open book with geometric diagrams.

Thales of Miletus

Greek philosopher

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Anaximenes Of Miletus

Greek philosopher

René Descartes

René Descartes

French mathematician and philosopher

Italian physicist Guglielmo Marconi at work in the wireless room of his yacht Electra, c. 1920.

All About Physics Quiz

13 True-or-False Questions from Britannica’s Easiest Science Quizzes