Physicists at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, USA, You have just come across what may be the fifth fundamental force of nature. The suspicion arose after evidence was found that subatomic particles called muons do not behave according to the standards of current physics theory.

We are talking about a fifth force Because we can’t necessarily explain behavior [nesses experimentos] With the four we know“, explained to Watchman the doctor. Mitesh Patel of Imperial College London, who tries to find fault with the Standard Model, however at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland.

If the current discoveries, made at the US particle accelerator facility (Fermilab), are confirmed, then surely they could represent a new revolution of sorts in modern physics.

How was the fifth force detected?

(Source: GettyImages)

The fundamental forces of nature can be reduced to four categories: Gravity, electromagnetism, strong force that it Weak force. These interactions regulate the behavior of subatomic particles and all kinds of objects in our universe.

Since 2021, Fermi suggests the possibility of a fifth force in naturebut this is it The first time the measurement uncertainty was reduced by a factor of twoAccording to scientist Brendan Casey. “We’re really exploring new areas. We’re deciding [as medições] With better accuracy than ever.

To prove their hypothesis, the researchers conducted an experiment called “g minus two (g-2)”, in which they accelerated muons around a 15-meter-diameter ring, spinning it around up to a thousand times at nearly the speed of light. But the measurements did not follow the prediction expected in the Standard Model, Which “may be a sign of an unknown particle appearing in the rings,” a sign of a fifth force, the study says.

What happens if scientists confirm a fifth force?

(Source: GettyImages)

Despite its power, the evidence observed by the Fermilab team is still not conclusive to confirm the existence of a fifth fundamental force. The researchers estimate that within two years they will have reduced their theoretical uncertainty And they managed to achieve their goal, despite the fact that they are in a “race” with the European LHC.

The consequences of discovering a fifth force of nature could lead to the solution of some scientific mysteries, such as: What is the composition of dark matter? What is dark energy made of? Why does the universe contain more matter than antimatter?

Scientists have long known that to answer these important questions, Need to go beyond the limits of the standard form. In this sense, this oscillation of muons observed in the Tevatron particle accelerator, at Fermilab, can act as a small guide to a revolutionary scientific advance.