Decades-long Hunt Brings Physicists Near the Zeptoverse
WHO:
Phys.org - Physicists working on the upgraded LHCb experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) found evidence of an exceptionally rare particle decay.
The European Magazine - The research was led by physicists at the University of Cambridge.
The European Magazine - Dr Harry Cliff of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory led the analysis.
The European Magazine - Professor Tim Gershon of the University of Warwick leads the LHCb experiment.
BBC - Harry Cliff said, “And what we want to do now is go in and explore and find what new particles are waiting there. And to do that, what we need is more data.”
WHAT:
Phys.org - The evidence concerns a decay expected to occur about once in every 10 billion “beauty” particles.
The European Magazine - The decay occurs when a particle containing a beauty quark produces two muons, which are heavier relatives of electrons.
The European Magazine - The particles containing beauty quarks survive for around one-and-a-half trillionths of a second before breaking down.
The European Magazine - The result reached 3.2 sigma statistical confidence; it suggests the signal is real but is not a confirmed discovery, and more data is needed.
The European Magazine - The findings have not yet undergone peer review.
The European Magazine - Cliff said, “We’re knocking on the door of the zeptoverse now. I can’t wait to see what we find as we explore deeper.”
The European Magazine - Gershon said the result showcases LHCb’s capabilities and that the UK-led project is “producing beautiful science.”
WHERE:
The European Magazine - The research was conducted at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, an underground particle collider near Geneva.
Phys.org - The research uses the LHCb experiment at CERN’s LHC.
WHEN:
Phys.org - The search has spanned more than 40 years.
The European Magazine - Researchers have searched for this decay since 1984.
The European Magazine - The upgraded detector collected large amounts of data during 2024 and 2025.
The European Magazine - Further collider equipment upgrades are anticipated in the 2030s.
WHY:
The European Magazine - Researchers are investigating the zeptoverse for possible unknown particles or forces that could help explain dark matter, the Big Bang, and why the universe contains more matter than antimatter.
Phys.org - The zeptoverse refers to distances of a billionth of a trillionth of a meter, where new particles and forces may exist.
HOW:
The European Magazine - Researchers used the upgraded detector and machine learning to sift through collision data and distinguish faint signals from other particle collisions.
The European Magazine - The LHC investigates matter by smashing particles together at high speeds.
(UPDATED November 3, 2026 17:05 UTC)
CERN’s LHCb experiment has found evidence of an exceptionally rare particle decay, sought for decades. The decay appeared in beauty particles producing two muons, but researchers stress it remains unconfirmed. More collision data could reveal new particles or forces, as scientists probe matter’s deepest mysteries.