Scientists May Have Found Evidence of Fifth Force of Nature
Scientists at the US particle accelerator facility Fermilab have found potential evidence that sub-atomic particles, called muons, are behaving differently than expected based on the current theory of sub-atomic physics, suggesting that a fifth force of nature could be at play.
Facts
- Scientists at the US particle accelerator facility Fermilab have found potential evidence that sub-atomic particles, called muons, are behaving differently than expected based on the current theory of sub-atomic physics, suggesting that a fifth force of nature — separate from gravity, electromagnetism, the strong force, or the weak force — could be at play.1
- The researchers sent the muons, which are similar to electrons but 207 times the size, around a 46-foot magnetized ring at Fermilab. The experiment revealed that the particles wobbled in uncharacteristic ways than what is expected under the "Standard Model" of how particles interact.2
- For 50 years, scientists have been able to predict the behavior of sub-particles — which make up atoms — perfectly, with no errors. Everything in the world is made of atoms.1
- However, the research, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, cannot be officially claimed as a new physics discovery, as there's still a one in 40K chance that it's incorrect. Fermilab scientist Chris Polly also said that only 6% of the data collected has been analyzed to date.2
- Scientists believe in a fifth force for several reasons, including how galaxies are continuing to accelerate apart after the Big Bang theory rather than slowing down, and how they're spinning faster than they should, considering how much material is known to be in them. This is believed to be due to invisible particles known as dark matter, which aren't part of the Standard Model.1
Sources: 1BBC News and 2Futurism.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Astronomy Magazine. While many physicists agree that there are more forces of nature out there, especially regarding dark matter, we shouldn't let news like this get our hopes too high. Groups of researchers have claimed to have discovered the fifth force for decades now, all of which were eventually debunked. Science is, of course, about trial and error, but the evidence has to be unequivocally clear before such claims can be made.
- Narrative B, as provided by BBC. Though researchers are still stuck at the 1 in 40K chance of being wrong, they have consistently seen this unpredictable wobbling for over two years now. There is more work to be done, but we should all be excited as the Fermilab grows closer and closer to officially discovering a fifth force of nature.
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