A team led by scientists from the University of Cambridge has detected particle interactions at a scale described as 100 billion times smaller than an atom. Some physicists call this realm the “zeptoverse,” after the zeptometer, a unit equal to one trillionth of a billionth of a meter.
The findings came from an experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the particle accelerator operated by CERN on the Swiss-French border. Researchers examined the particles produced in high-energy collisions, including the beauty quark, also known as the bottom quark.
Beauty quarks exist for about 1.5 trillionths of a second before decaying into other particles. Despite their short lifetimes, the team detected their interactions at a scale of one sextillionth of a meter.
The work may offer a way to test theories about dark matter, which accounts for about 25% of the Universe’s total energy, according to the source report. Dark matter does not interact with light and has been observed through its gravitational influence on ordinary matter and the formation of structures such as galaxies.
Some theories suggest that particles at these tiny scales could be especially sensitive to dark matter, which might affect how quarks interact and decay. The researchers say collecting more data could help them explore this possibility and look for new particles.
“We are knocking on the doors of the zeptoverse,” Cambridge physicist Harry Cliff, who led the data analysis, told BBC News. He said the team wants to investigate the realm further, but will need additional data.
CERN’s LHCb detector is due for an upgrade backed by 150 million pounds from the 28 participating countries. The improvements would allow it to record these decays ten times more frequently. However, the UK’s Research and Innovation agency (UKRI) announced it would no longer provide its share of the upgrade funding, raising concerns about the country’s role in future studies.
Tim Gershon, who coordinates the international LHCb collaboration, told BBC News that the decision could put the UK’s full participation in future research at risk. He also warned that reduced involvement could limit opportunities to train early-career researchers. One member of the discovery team, Mary Richardson-Slipper, said she was looking for work abroad because she saw more opportunities outside the UK.
UKRI told BBC News that the UK remains fully involved in CERN and is its second-largest funder, contributing about 175 million pounds a year. The agency said it had chosen to support other infrastructure investments after receiving more promising funding proposals than it could finance.
Physicist Brian Cox, who was not involved in the study, described the result as important and criticized the funding decision, warning that it could harm the UK’s scientific standing and future research programme.
Sources: Folha Ciência.