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New Subatomic Particle Discovered

Posted by michael on from the charmed-life dept.

Cyndi writes "A new subatomic particle has been discovered by researchers at Stanford. It seems to be "an unusual configuration of a charm quark and a strange anti-quark"."

4 of 46 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Naked charm!?! by Strange+Ranger · · Score: 1, Interesting

    > We have discovered a new charm particle in an experiment designed to probe the difference between matter and antimatter using bottom quarks. Sometimes the most exciting discoveries come from unexpected directions.

    One question: How do they know they accidentally discovered it and that they did not accidentally invent it anew?

    Thanks.

    --

    Operator, give me the number for 911!
  2. Binding force gets stronger with distance? by Lafe · · Score: 5, Interesting
    "The new particle called the Ds (2317), which combines a charm quark with another heavy quark - an anti strange, has unexpected properties that will provide insight into the force that binds the quarks together. This force, unlike most others in nature, becomes stronger as the distance between the two quarks increases."
    So, if I read this right, as long as you have enough of these particles, or none of them, you're fine.

    But what happens if you've only got one of them here, and the nearest other one is in a neighboring galaxy? Massive destruction? Infinite attraction? Or just enough attraction to get a geek a date?
    1. Re:Binding force gets stronger with distance? by judowillreturns · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Quarks are particles 'inside' (that compromise) other sub-atomic particles. Therefore there are many of them.
      No problem.

  3. Perpetual motion, here I come... by clambake · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This force, unlike most others in nature, becomes stronger as the distance between the two quarks increases.

    For the physicists out there, if this forces is true, then what stops somone from developing a device based on it and, say, some electromagetic force (or just plain old gravity) where by each side pushes and pulls in balance so that they actually generate energy.

    Like for eample, have a "Ds" particle bolted to the top of a room, and drop a second "Ds" particle directly from it, it would be pulled by gravity until the point where the strange inverted force gets strong enough to pull it back up. As it goes back up, that force diminshes, and then gravity takes over again, etc.