Rare Particle Find May Cast Doubt on Popular Physics Theory
Nov 12, 2012 | Clara Moskowitz, LiveScience Senior Writer
Physicists from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland have
measured a particular type of particle transformation for the first
time, and found that it happens just about as often as predicted by the
dominant theory of particle physics, called the Standard Model.
The measurement is just preliminary — the researchers haven't collected
enough data to be positive what they're seeing isn't just a random
occurrence. Still, the fact that the initial observations correspond so
well with the Standard Model predictions isn't a hopeful sign for what
scientists call "new physics," such as new particles not predicted by
the Standard Model.
One of the most popular theories of new physics is the idea of "supersymmetry"
— that all of the known subatomic particles have "superpartner"
particles that haven't yet been observed. If these superpartners exist,
they could help explain some persistent physics mysteries, such as the
nature of dark matter, an invisible substance thought to make up a
quarter of the universe. Scientists think dark matter may in fact be
composed of supersymmetric particles that haven't yet been detected.
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