Hungarian scientists delighted the scientific commune with a bold claim about the discovery of a new
particle X17 that requires a fifth fundamental force for its existence.
Ansa C Dhanu
Anomalies observed during the reaction | credit: Jw210913
Hungarian scientists delighted the scientific commune with a bold claim about the discovery of a new
particle X17 that requires a fifth fundamental force for its existence.
The new particle appeared in the laboratory back in 2015 while carrying out experiments of dark
matter, but a bold claim of existence came when the University of California backed the Hungarian
scientists about their discovery.
Physics textbooks teach us the existence of four fundamental forces viz, Electromagnetic force,
Gravitational force, Strong nuclear force, and Weak nuclear force. Forces are carried by Bosons like
Gluon, W Boson, Z Boson, Photon, Graviton. The Graviton particle imparts gravitational force and
responsible for many of the structures of the universe. The electromagnetic force binds electrons and
protons within an atom, and its residual effect holds together the atoms in a molecule or in a solid,
photons are the force particle for this. The strong force is held responsible for binding quarks together
to form protons, neutrons, and other (relatively) heavy particles, gluons carry strong nuclear force. The
weak force is a very short-range force (acting over distances < 10^-18 m) that is involved in beta-decay and decay of some elementary particles such as the neutron and W and Z bosons are responsible for
the weak force.
HOW ITS DISCOVERED?
The Hungarian scientists shot protons at a thin sample of lithium-7, which then radioactively decayed
into beryllium-8. As expected, this created pairs of positrons and electrons. However, the detectors
also picked up excess decay signals that suggested the existence of a potentially new and extremely
weak particle. If it exists, the particle would weigh in at about 1/50 the mass of a proton. And because
of its properties, it would be a boson — a force-carrying particle.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DISCOVERY
The X17 particle could help to explain dark matter, the mysterious substance scientists believe
accounts for more than 80% of the mass in the Universe. It would carry force between dark matter
particles in much the same way photons, or particles of light, do for ordinary matter.