Particle physics is a research area focused on the fundamental constituents of matter and radiation and the interactions governing them, typically described by quantum field theories such as the Standard Model. It investigates quarks, leptons, gauge bosons, and the Higgs boson, and their dynamics under the strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces, often at high energies where new degrees of freedom become accessible. The field relies on large-scale experiments (e.g., collider-based and fixed-target facilities), precision measurements, and advanced detectors, while also exploring physics beyond the Standard Model, including neutrino properties, dark matter candidates, and potential new symmetries or interaction sectors.
Since the 1960s, scientists have discovered more than a dozen fundamental particles. They all have fit perfectly into the theoretical framework known as the Standard Model, the best description physicists have of the subatomic ...
General Physics
Feb 12, 2024
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Europe's CERN laboratory revealed more details Monday about its plans for a huge new particle accelerator that would dwarf the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), ramping up efforts to uncover the underlying secrets of the universe.
General Physics
Feb 5, 2024
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Particle physicists have detected a novel decay of the Higgs boson for the first time, revealing a slight discrepancy in the predictions of the Standard Model and perhaps pointing to new physics beyond it. The findings are ...
The power of gravity is writ large across our visible universe. It can be seen in the lock step of moons as they circle planets; in wandering comets pulled off-course by massive stars; and in the swirl of gigantic galaxies. ...
General Physics
Jan 23, 2024
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String theory found its origins in an attempt to understand the nascent experiments revealing the strong nuclear force. Eventually another theory, one based on particles called quarks and force carriers called gluons, would ...
General Physics
Dec 20, 2023
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