Electromagnetism, Gravitation, and the strong and weak nuclear forces are the four fundamental forces, which we all are aware of. Recently, the scientists have found what can be the ‘fifth force of nature’.According to the theoretical physicists at the UCI or the University of California- Irvine, US, an earlier unknown subatomic light particle may be proof of a fifth fundamental force of nature and a solution to knowing the dark matter in universe, Jonathan Feng, who is the Professor of physics and astronomy opined that if it is true, then it is revolutionary. He says that this discovery of a potential fifth force would radically change our understanding of the universe, with results for the unification of dark matter and forces, if more experiments confirm this.The scientists came upon a mid-2015 research by experimental nuclear physicists at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences who were ‘hunting’ for “dark photons.”
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The physicists say that these are particles that would imply unseen dark matter which makes up around 85 percent of the mass of the universe.The Hungarians’ work revealed a radioactive decay anomaly that guides to the presence of a light particle merely 30 times heavier than an electron.Feng said that the experimentalists weren’t able to assert that it was a unique force.He also added in a paper, which was published in the journal Physical Review Letters that they just saw an abundance of events that symbolised a new particle. However, it was not transparent to them whether it was a force-carrying particle or perhaps a matter particle.The University of California- Irvine, (UCI) work shows that rather than being a dark photon, the particle may be a “protophobic X boson.”
Although the normal electric force acts on protons and electrons, this newfound boson communicates only with neutrons and electrons and also at an extremely short range.Like most of the scientific breakthroughs, this one presents entirely new fields of analysis.This potential fifth force might be connected to the strong and weak nuclear forces and electromagnetic forces and as “manifestations of one grander, more fundamental force.”The authors also noted that in a broader sense, it suits in with their original research to know the nature of dark matter.
