We’ve all learned in physics class that there are four forces of nature. There’s gravity, the force that holds everything together and forms galaxies, stars, planets, and so on. There’s the strong nuclear force, which is responsible for holding the nucleus of the atom together with unimaginable strength. The strong nuclear force is 6 thousand trillion trillion trillion times stronger than gravity. The weak nuclear force also deserves to be mentioned, as its role is to allow protons to become neutrons and vice versa due to beta decay.
As for electromagnetic forces, well, they are responsible for holding atoms together in both solids and liquids, creating friction forces that allow us to walk across the room, producing light, generating electricity, and even more.
But what if there’s a fifth force of nature out there in the Universe that humanity has not discovered already?
A specific particle manifests surprising wobble
A startling breakthrough by scientists has revived the intriguing notion of an additional force in nature, which would be the fifth force. While four primary forces—electromagnetic, strong, and weak nuclear—are currently known to govern the natural world, a curious particle’s unconventional behavior hints at an undiscovered fifth force, according to Greek Reporter.
The particle in question is similar to electrons but heavier, and it exhibits an unexpected wobble when subjected to a magnetic field during experiments at the Fermilab particle accelerator facility. According to established models, this wobble should follow a predictable pattern, yet the observed discrepancies suggest the involvement of an unrecognized force.
Dr. Mitesh Patel of Imperial College London has highlighted the anomaly, raising the possibility of reshaping our comprehension of the Universe’s fundamental dynamics.
Jon Butterworth, a professor and scientist from University College London, explained as Greek Reporter quotes:
The wobbles are due to the way the muon interacts with a magnetic field. They can be calculated very precisely in the standard model but that calculation involves quantum loops, with known particles appearing in those loops.
If the measurements don’t line up with the prediction, that could be a sign that there is some unknown particle appearing in the loops – which could, for example, be the carrier of a fifth force.
Stay tuned for more information on the subject!
Tommy’s hobby has always been playing video games. He enjoys competing in video games tournaments and writing about his experience. It’s not a big surprise that he mostly covers the latest trends from the gaming industry.