3 ms·
I suppose this is the particle physics equivalent of 'discovering' heavier and heavier elements in the periodic table -- good evidence towards existing theory,
by Leszek 12y ago
I suppose this is the particle physics equivalent of 'discovering' heavier and heavier elements in the periodic table -- good evidence towards existing theory, but effectively these are artificial constructions that exist only briefly and never (?) outside lab conditions.
- maaku 12y agoYes-ish. There are a few obscure theories that explain dark matter as stable, super-symmetric, super-heavy, non-interacting particles of this sort. But such particles are not predicted by the standard model.
- cozzyd 12y agoIt's more akin to 'discovering' new nuclear isomers that are predicted but have never been observed.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- cozzyd 12y agohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_isomer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_isomer
- Retric 12y agoConsidering 10 ^ -9 seconds is considered meta-stable for a nuclear isomer that's also a seemingly pointless exercise. However, IMO this is interesting comparison simply because of the one edge case that's seemly stable. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_tantalum http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_tantalum lasts for ~10^15 years so we might also find a vary heavy but stable 'particle'.