{"id":443325,"date":"2022-05-07T10:55:36","date_gmt":"2022-05-07T07:55:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/why-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-seems-to-be-broken\/"},"modified":"2022-05-07T10:55:36","modified_gmt":"2022-05-07T07:55:36","slug":"why-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-seems-to-be-broken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-seems-to-be-broken\/","title":{"rendered":"#Why the standard model of particle physics seems to be broken"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a439c7136adb\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a439c7136adb\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-seems-to-be-broken\/#%E2%80%9CWhy_the_standard_model_of_particle_physics_seems_to_be_broken%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Why the standard model of particle physics seems to be broken&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-seems-to-be-broken\/#Three_key_findings\" >Three key findings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-seems-to-be-broken\/#The_verdict\" >The verdict<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhy_the_standard_model_of_particle_physics_seems_to_be_broken%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Why the standard model of particle physics seems to be broken&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n                            As a physicist working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at Cern, one of the most frequent questions I am asked is \u201cWhen are you going to find something?\u201d Resisting the temptation to sarcastically reply \u201cAside from the Higgs boson, which won the Nobel Prize, and a whole slew of new composite particles?\u201d, I realize that the reason the question is posed so often is down to how we have portrayed progress in particle physics to the wider world.<\/p>\n<p>We often talk about progress in terms of discovering new particles, and it often is. Studying a new, very heavy particle helps us view underlying physical processes \u2013 often without annoying background noise. That makes it easy to explain the value of the discovery to the public and politicians.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, however, a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> of precise measurements of already known, bog-standard particles and processes have threatened to shake up physics. And with the LHC getting ready to run <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/large-hadron-collider-seeks-new-particles-after-major-upgrade\/\">at higher energy and intensity<\/a> than ever before, it is time to start discussing the implications widely.<\/p>\n<p>In truth, particle physics has always proceeded in two ways, of which new particles is one. The other is by making very precise measurements that test the predictions of theories and look for deviations from what is expected.<\/p>\n<p>The early evidence for Einstein\u2019s theory of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> relativity, for example, came from discovering small deviations in the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>arent positions of stars and from the motion of Mercury in its orbit.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Three_key_findings\"><\/span>Three key findings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Particles obey a counter-intuitive but hugely successful theory called quantum mechanics. This theory shows that particles far too massive to be made directly in a lab collision can still influence what other particles do (through something called \u201cquantum fluctuations\u201d). Measurements of such effects are very complex, however, and much harder to explain to the public.<\/p>\n<p>But recent results hinting at unexplained new physics beyond the standard model are of this second type. Detailed <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/new-physics-latest-results-from-cern-further-boost-tantalising-evidence-170133\">studies from the LHCb experiment<\/a> found that a particle known as a beauty quark (quarks make up the protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus) \u201cdecays\u201d (falls apart) into an electron much more often than into a muon \u2013 the electron\u2019s heavier, but otherwise identical, sibling. According to the standard model, this shouldn\u2019t happen \u2013 hinting that new particles or even forces of nature may influence the process.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"align-center \">\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"js-lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\" alt=\"Image of the LHCb experiment.\" width=\"659\" height=\"438\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fscience%2F2022%2F05%2F07%2Fwhy-standard-model-of-particle-physics-is-broken%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: LHCb experiment. Cern\" data-title=\"Share LHCb experiment. Cern on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share LHCb experiment. Cern on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>LHCb experiment. Cern<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Image of the LHCb experiment.\" width=\"659\" height=\"438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=399&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/390889\/original\/file-20210322-19-nytkho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=502&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure><figcaption\/><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Intriguingly, though, measurements of similar processes involving \u201ctop quarks\u201d from the ATLAS experiment at the LHC show this decay <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41567-021-01236-w\">does happen at equal rates<\/a> for electrons and muons.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the Muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab in the US has recently made <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/news.fnal.gov\/2021\/04\/first-results-from-fermilabs-muon-g-2-experiment-strengthen-evidence-of-new-physics\/\">very precise studies<\/a> of how muons \u201cwobble\u201d as their \u201cspin\u201d (a quantum property) interacts with surrounding magnetic fields. It found a small but significant deviation from some theoretical predictions \u2013 again suggesting that unknown forces or particles may be at work.<\/p>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-022-01014-5\">latest surprising result<\/a> is a measurement of the mass of a fundamental particle called the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/home.cern\/science\/physics\/w-boson-sunshine-and-stardust\">W boson<\/a>, which carries the weak nuclear force that governs radioactive decay. After many years of data taking and analysis, the experiment, also at Fermilab, suggests it is significantly heavier than theory predicts \u2013 deviating by an amount that would not happen by chance in more than a million experiments. Again, it may be that yet undiscovered particles are adding to its mass.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, however, this also disagrees with some lower-precision measurements from the LHC (presented in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1140\/epjc\/s10052-017-5475-4\">this study<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1140\/epjc\/s10052-018-6354-3\">this one<\/a>).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_verdict\"><\/span>The verdict<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While we are not absolutely certain these effects require a novel explanation, the evidence seems to be growing that some new physics is needed.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, there will be almost as many new mechanisms proposed to explain these observations as there are theorists. Many will look to various forms of \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/home.cern\/science\/physics\/supersymmetry#:%7E:text=Supersymmetry%20is%20an%20extension%20of,mass%20of%20the%20Higgs%20boson.\">supersymmetry<\/a>\u201d. This is the idea that there are twice as many fundamental particles in the standard model than we thought, with each particle having a \u201csuper partner\u201d. These may involve additional Higgs bosons (associated with the field that gives fundamental particles their mass).<\/p>\n<p>Others will go beyond this, invoking less recently fashionable ideas such as \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brucedorminey\/2014\/11\/19\/cerns-higgs-discovery-as-portal-to-new-technicolor-physics\/?sh=3deeed1925d8\">technicolor<\/a>\u201d, which would imply that there are additional forces of nature (in addition to gravity, electromagnetism and the weak and strong nuclear forces), and might mean that the Higgs boson is in fact a composite object made of other particles. Only experiments will reveal the truth of the matter \u2013 which is good <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> for experimentalists.<\/p>\n<p>The experimental teams behind the new findings are all well respected and have worked on the problems for a long time. That said, it is no disrespect to them to note that these measurements are extremely difficult to make. What\u2019s more, predictions of the standard model usually require calculations where approximations have to be made. This means different theorists can predict slightly different masses and rates of decay depending on the assumptions and level of approximation made. So, it may be that when we do more accurate calculations, some of the new findings will fit with the standard model.<\/p>\n<p>Equally, it may be the researchers are using subtly different interpretations and so finding inconsistent results. Comparing two experimental results requires careful checking that the same level of approximation has been used in both cases.<\/p>\n<p>These are both examples of sources of \u201csystematic uncertainty\u201d, and while all concerned do their best to quantify them, there can be unforeseen complications that under- or overestimate them.<\/p>\n<p>None of this makes the current results any less interesting or important. What the results illustrate is that there are multiple pathways to a deeper understanding of the new physics, and they all need to be explored.<\/p>\n<p>With the restart of the LHC, there are still prospects of new particles being made through rarer processes or found hidden under backgrounds that we have yet to unearth.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/182081\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\"\/><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/182081\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" class=\"\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p><em>This article by <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/roger-jones-158679\">Roger Jones<\/a>, Professor of Physics, Head of Department, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/lancaster-university-1176\">Lancaster University<\/a> is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-may-be-broken-an-expert-explains-182081\">original article<\/a>.<\/em>\n                        <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/why-standard-model-of-particle-physics-is-broken\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Why the standard model of particle physics seems to be broken&#8221; As a physicist working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at Cern, one of the most frequent questions I am asked is \u201cWhen are you going to find something?\u201d Resisting the temptation to sarcastically reply \u201cAside from the Higgs boson, which won the Nobel&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":443326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/tnw?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/cern.jpeg&signature=83bba5b9e2a894326624463690a6dc3c","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-443325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=443325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/443325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/443326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=443325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=443325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=443325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}