Scientists working at Europe’s CERN laboratory have announced the discovery of a new subatomic particle following upgrades to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s most powerful particle accelerator. The particle, named Xi-cc-plus, is a rare type of baryon made up of two “charm” quarks and one “down” quark. Because these quarks are significantly heavier than those found in ordinary protons, the newly discovered particle is roughly four times heavier than a proton and extremely short-lived, making it difficult to detect. Researchers believe studying this particle will help refine theories about quantum chromodynamics, the force that binds matter together at the smallest levels.

The discovery marks the 80th particle identified using the Large Hadron Collider, which accelerates particles around a 27-kilometer underground ring before smashing them together at near-light speeds. These collisions allow scientists to observe fleeting particles and better understand the fundamental structure of matter. The finding also represents the first major particle discovery since upgrades to the collider’s detectors were completed in 2023. Meanwhile, CERN is already planning an even larger accelerator known as the Future Circular Collider, designed to probe deeper into the origins and structure of the universe.

SOURCE: Science Alert