A “magic number” of physics might not be so magic after all. Using a powerful particle accelerator, researchers have spotted an elusive variant of oxygen for the first time. The isotope, oxygen-28, was predicted to be stable thanks to its eight protons and 20 neutrons — “magic” numbers associated with extra stability in atomic nuclei. […]
There’s a new measurement of muon magnetism. What it means isn’t clear
Muons might not behave as expected. But scientists can’t agree on what to expect. By taking stock of how the subatomic particles wobble in a magnetic field, physicists have pinned down a property of the muon’s internal magnet to greater precision than ever before, researchers from the Muon g−2 experiment reported August 10 in a […]
‘Ghost Particle’ chronicles the neutrino’s discovery and what’s left to learn
‘Ghost Particle’ chronicles the neutrino’s discovery and what’s left to learn
Muons unveiled new details about a void in Egypt’s Great Pyramid
A nebulous void in Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza has been unveiled thanks to strange subatomic particles called muons. Scientists first identified the void in 2016 using muons, heavy relatives of electrons that can penetrate through solid materials. Thought to be a corridor-shaped hole, the void was located near a chevron-shaped structure visible on the […]