Upgraded

• CERN scientists announced the discovery of the Ξcc⁺ particle, a long-predicted heavy cousin of the proton, resolving a 20-year mystery in particle physics. • The breakthrough marks the first particle discovery with the upgraded LHCb detector, involving over 1,000 researchers from 20 countries, with the UK contributing the most led by University of Manchester's Professor Chris Parkes. • Professor Parkes stated, 'Rutherford's gold-foil experiment in a Manchester basement transformed our understanding of matter, and today's discovery builds on that legacy.'

Snappily named Xi-cc-plus, Cern physicists spotted the particle in shower of debris that lit up Large Hadron ColliderScientists at the Cern nuclear physics laboratory near Geneva have discovered a heavier version of the proton, the subatomic particle that sits at the heart of every known atom in the universe.They spotted the particle in a shower of debris that lit up a detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located deep beneath the ground at Cern, which smashes protons together at close to the speed of light. The collisions recreate in microcosm conditions that prevailed just after the big bang, with the energy converting to particles that spray in all directions. The newfound particle, which is four times heavier than the regular proton, should help physicists refine their understanding of the strong nuclear force that glues together the innards of all atomic nuclei. The force is unusual because it behaves like a rubber band, getting stronger as the distance between subatomic particles increases. Continue reading...