The unprecedented energy of proton collisions at the LHC could be what scientists need to find a possible substructure for subatomic particles The Standard Model of particle physics tells us what elementary particles make up matter in the universe. As far as we know, the particles in the Standard Model are the basic building blocks of matter […]
The W boson carries the weak force. It changes the character of particles of matter—allowing the Sun to burn and new elements to form Discovered in 1983, the W boson is a fundamental particle. Together with the Z boson, it is responsible for the weak force, one of four fundamental forces that govern the behaviour of matter
W boson: Sunshine and stardust Read More »
The Z boson is a neutral elementary particle which – along with its electrically charged cousin, the W – carries the weak force Discovered in 1983 by physicists at the Super Proton Synchrotron at CERN, the Z boson is a neutral elementary particle. Like its electrically charged cousin, the W, the Z boson carries the weak force. The weak force
Why is gravity so much weaker than the other fundamental forces? A small fridge magnet is enough to create an electromagnetic force greater than the gravitational pull exerted by planet Earth. One possibility is that we don’t feel the full effect of gravity because part of it spreads to extra dimensions. Though it may sound
Extra dimensions, gravitons, and tiny black holes Read More »
CERN physicists collide heavy ions to free quarks – recreating conditions that existed in the universe just after the Big Bang or a few millionths of a second, shortly after the Big Bang, the universe was filled with an astonishingly hot, dense soup made of all kinds of particles moving at near light speed. This
Heavy ions and quark-gluon plasma Read More »
The lab’s suite of experiments to study the subtle, elusive particle called the neutrino will aid humanity’s understanding of the origin of matter, the unification of forces and the Big Bang. Before being detected, neutrinos from Fermilab experiments travel over short distances — several hundred meters — and over long distances — several hundred miles.
Galaxies in our universe seem to be achieving an impossible feat. They are rotating with such speed that the gravity generated by their observable matter could not possibly hold them together; they should have torn themselves apart long ago. The same is true of galaxies in clusters, which leads scientists to believe that something we
Dark Matter & Dark Energy (what is known thus far) Read More »
Matter particles All matter around us is made of elementary particles, the building blocks of matter. These particles occur in two basic types called quarks and leptons. Each group consists of six particles, which are related in pairs, or “generations”. The lightest and most stable particles make up the first generation, whereas the heavier and
The Standard Model Read More »
