Based on laboratory measurements and cosmic observational facts, this paper proposes the photon-binding theory of matter's origin: fundamental massive particles such as protons, neutrons, and electrons are formed by high-energy gamma photons undergoing collision, binding, and energy–matter phase transition. When the ambient temperature reaches 4 trillion degrees Celsius, all massive particles completely disintegrate, leaving only high-energy gamma photons in the system. In fact, at 2 trillion degrees Celsius, protons, neutrons, and other elementary particles can no longer exist stably and begin to disintegrate. As the temperature gradually drops, high-energy photons collide and bind with each other to stably produce protons, neutrons, and electrons, which further combine to form simple atoms such as hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium, and eventually condense into cosmic nebulae. The STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory, heavy-ion collision experiments, and black hole jet observations consistently demonstrate that the near-horizon region of a black hole jet is a pure gamma-photon stream without any massive particles; as it spreads outward and cools naturally, photon collisions generate stable particles, which gradually evolve into atoms and nebulae. The entire process requires no participation of fictitious particles such as quarks, gluons, or Higgs bosons. To explain the structure of protons and neutrons, modern mainstream particle physics has introduced numerous hypotheses that have not been directly verified by observations. This practice essentially covers a single unknown with multiple unknowns, violating the principles of empirical science. This paper points out that the only core problem physics truly needs to solve is the binding mechanism of high-energy photons after collision. Scientific research should return to experimental and observational facts, adhere to the principle of simplicity, abandon fictitious hypotheses unsupported by evidence, and reconstruct a unified physical picture with photons as the origin of matter.
Jiaqing Yan (Sat,) studied this question.