Atom Smasher Detects Hints of New Unstable Particle [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

By Yasemin Saplakoglu, Staff Writer | October 1, 2018 01:30pm ET

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's largest atom smasher, just discovered at least two previously unknown particles.

The 17-mile (27 kilometers) underground ring near Geneva recently discovered two baryons and a hint of another particle, according to a statement from the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), which runs the LHC. Baryons are fundamental subatomic particles that are each made up of three quarks. The quarks, in turn, are even smaller particles that come in different "flavors": up, down, top, bottom, strange and charm.

Each type of baryon has a different mix of quarks. Protons, for example, are baryons and consist of two up quarks and one down quark apiece, according to the statement. The two newly discovered particles are classified as bottom baryons. [7 Strange Facts About Quarks]

The first, named Σb(6097)+, is made up of one bottom quark and two up quarks, while the second, named Σb(6097)-, is made up of one bottom quark and two down quarks.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/63714-new-baryon-particles-found.html?utm_source=ls-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20181003-ls