{
  "id": 18139335,
  "title": "Physicists get first glimpse of the zeptoverse from LHC experiment",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/physicists-get-first-glimpse-of-the-zeptoverse-from-lhc-experiment",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-04T15:23:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Scientist",
    "slug": "new-scientist",
    "url": "https://www.newscientist.com/article/2597289-beauty-particle-decay-opens-the-door-to-the-zeptoverse/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Physicists at the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment in Switzerland have made an unprecedented discovery, peering into the realm of the infinitesimally small. Analyzing data from the Large Hadron Collider, researchers found an extremely rare particle decay involving the \"beauty quark,\" a particle often produced in the LHC's particle collisions. This process, which has long eluded experiments, occurs only once in every ten billion beauty particles, making it exceedingly rare. While the findings are still preliminary, with a significance level of 3.2 sigma (a discovery threshold of 5 sigma), the discovery marks the smallest scale ever explored in physics, the zeptoverse, where distances are measured in sextillionths of a meter.\n\nThe LHCb team's detection of this rare decay represents a significant breakthrough, opening the door to the zeptoverse and its mysterious secrets. The measurement is consistent with the standard model of particle physics, which currently explains all known particles and their interactions. However, the model fails to account for dark matter and dark energy, which make up most of the universe. As such, researchers continue to test the standard model's predictions in particle collider experiments, searching for evidence of new particles and forces.\n\nThe discovery's precision is a testament to the LHCb team's recent technical upgrades, which have transformed the collider into a powerful microscope capable of unveiling hidden intricacies. This enhanced capability allows physicists to measure processes with unprecedented accuracy, offering a unique opportunity to explore the zeptoverse. Despite the discovery's significance, the team's research faces uncertainty, as the UK government recently withdrew funding for a planned LHCb upgrade. This financial setback raises concerns about the future of the team's work, as they scramble to determine the continued viability of their research.",
  "summary": "Data from the Large Hadron Collider has revealed evidence of a long-sought particle process that serves as a guide into the realm of the smallest scales ever probed",
  "key_points": [
    "Physicists at LHCb experiment discover rare particle decay",
    "Decay occurs once in every ten billion beauty particles",
    "Marks first exploration of the zeptoverse"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}