Scientists have detected signals from the smallest scale of nature ever explored, a realm 100 billion times smaller than an atom that some physicists have nicknamed the zeptoverse, in research that could aid the hunt for dark matter. The discovery, made by scientists based in Cambridge using CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), came as Prof Tim Gershon said the UK’s full involvement in the research would be in doubt because of the cuts, after UKRI withdrew its share of funding for a planned detector upgrade.
The research analysed the decay of a sub-atomic particle called a beauty quark at the LHCb experiment. Existing for just one and a half trillionths of a second, the particle was detected interacting with others at a scale of a billion-trillionth of a metre.
“We're knocking on the door of this zeptoverse,” Dr Harry Cliff of Cambridge University, who led the analysis, told BBC News. Some theories suggest dark matter could influence how quarks interact and break down. Cliff said more data was needed to explore the zeptoverse; the planned £150 million upgrade, agreed to by the 28 countries involved, would increase the frequency of these decays tenfold.
But UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the government funding body, announced earlier this year that it was withdrawing its share of the upgrade money, alongside cuts to other physics and astronomy projects.
Prof Tim Gershon, who leads the LHCb international collaboration, told BBC News the UK's full involvement would be in doubt. “The UK is at risk of not being involved and making really major discoveries,” he said, adding that the biggest long-term impact would be that the UK would not get the benefits of training young people.
Dr Mary Richardson-Slipper, an early-career researcher on the team, said she was looking at jobs abroad and that “lots” of her colleagues had already moved. “I love being here in the UK, but I am looking at jobs abroad because that seems to be where there are more opportunities at the moment,” she said.
Prof Brian Cox, a particle researcher at the University of Manchester, described the result as “important” but condemned the recent decision to cut UK funding for the CERN project. “It would be extraordinary to walk away from UK scientific leadership at this moment,” he told the BBC, saying it would damage the future research programme and seriously damage the UK's hard-won international reputation.
A UKRI spokesperson told the BBC that the UK remained a fully engaged member of Cern as its second largest funder at around £175 million per year. “We sought independent advice and have taken forward an exciting portfolio of new infrastructure investments, which include projects in clean energy, medical imaging and cultural heritage,” the spokesperson said, adding that there were more applications than could be supported. The cuts were made despite an overall record increase in the UK science budget.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The zeptoverse could be the key to understanding dark matter, which dominates the cosmos but has never been directly detected.
- The UK's decision to withdraw funding raises serious questions about its commitment to world-leading fundamental physics research.
- The dispute is already driving early-career physicists to seek opportunities abroad, risking a brain drain.
Background
The Large Hadron Collider at CERN is the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator. The LHCb experiment is one of its four main detectors, designed to study the differences between matter and antimatter by analysing the decays of beauty quarks. The zeptoverse is a nickname for the scale of nature smaller than a billion-trillionth of a metre. The UK is a founding member of CERN and contributes roughly £175 million annually as its second-largest funder.
Key Perspectives
Dr Harry Cliff, Cambridge University: Led the analysis team and described the result as "knocking on the door" of the zeptoverse, calling for more data to find new particles.
Prof Tim Gershon, LHCb collaboration lead: Warned that the UK risks missing out on major discoveries and losing the benefit of training a generation of young people.
Dr Mary Richardson-Slipper, team researcher: Said she and "lots" of her fellow researchers are looking at jobs abroad due to a lack of opportunities in the UK.
Prof Brian Cox, University of Manchester: Condemned the cuts as damaging to UK scientific leadership and its international reputation.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI): Defended the decision, stating independent advice was taken and investment was directed towards a portfolio including clean energy and medical imaging due to funding constraints.
What to Watch
- Whether political pressure leads to a reversal or revision of UKRI's funding decision.
- The impact on the LHCb upgrade timeline and the search for dark matter without full UK involvement.
- The movement of UK early-career particle physicists to laboratories in other countries.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedHarry Cliff said, “We're knocking on the door of this zeptoverse.”BBC News: “"We're knocking on the door of this zeptoverse," Dr Harry Cliff, of Cambridge University who led the analysis of the data, told BBC News.”
- SupportedTim Gershon said the UK was at risk of not being involved and making major discoveries.BBC News: “"The UK is at risk of not being involved and making really major discoveries," he told BBC News.”
- SupportedMary Richardson-Slipper said she was looking at jobs abroad because there seemed to be more opportunities there.BBC News: “"I love being here in the UK, but I am looking at jobs abroad because that seems to be where there are more opportunities at the moment," said Richardson-Slipper.”
- SupportedUKRI withdrew its share of the funding for the planned upgrade.BBC News: “But earlier this year the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) agency, the government body in charge of research funding, announced that it was withdrawing its share of the money for the planned upgrade.”
- SupportedScientists detected signals from the smallest scale of nature ever explored, 100 billion times smaller than an atom.BBC News: “Scientists have picked up signals from the smallest scale of nature ever explored – 100 billion times smaller than an atom.”
- SupportedThe research could help the hunt for dark matter.BBC News: “So, detecting activity in this tiny world could help scientists detect dark matter.”
- SupportedThe research was led by scientists based in Cambridge and came from an experiment at the LHC.BBC News: “The research, led by scientists based in Cambridge, was obtained from an experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).”
- SupportedThe research analysed the decay of a beauty quark at the LHCb experiment.BBC News: “One of these is a sub-atomic particle - smaller than an atom - called a beauty quark. The particle is unstable and exists for just one and a half trillionths of a second before breaking down into other forms - decaying.”
- SupportedThe beauty quark exists for one and a half trillionths of a second.BBC News: “The particle is unstable and exists for just one and a half trillionths of a second before breaking down into other forms - decaying.”
- SupportedResearchers detected the particle interacting with others at a scale of a billion-trillionth of a metre.BBC News: “Despite its short lifetime, researchers managed to detect it interacting with other tiny particles at a scale of a billion-trillionth of a metre.”
- SupportedThe 28 countries involved agreed to a £150m upgrade to the LHCb detector.BBC News: “The 28 countries involved in the project have agreed a £150m upgrade to this detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHCb), which would increase the frequency of these decays tenfold.”
- SupportedThe upgrade would increase the frequency of the decays tenfold.BBC News: “The 28 countries involved in the project have agreed a £150m upgrade to this detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHCb), which would increase the frequency of these decays tenfold.”
