Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 144 | Solo: Are We Moving Beyond the Standard Model?
Apr 26, 2021
Recent findings in particle physics hint at surprising anomalies with muons, challenging the Standard Model. Discussions delve into the decay behavior of B mesons and the significance of these results for potential new physics. There’s cautious optimism about breakthroughs in understanding elusive concepts like dark matter and gravity. The conversation also touches on the use of Feynman diagrams as tools for decoding particle interactions, framing the ongoing quest for answers that transcend existing theories.
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Standard Model Overview
- The Standard Model of particle physics explains most visible matter and forces.
- It categorizes particles into fermions (matter) and bosons (force carriers).
Fermions and Quarks
- Fermions, like quarks and leptons, make up matter and take up space.
- Quarks feel the strong nuclear force and form hadrons, like protons, neutrons, and mesons.
Leptons and Decay
- Leptons, including electrons, muons, taus, and their neutrinos, don't feel the strong force.
- Heavier particles, like muons and taus, tend to decay into lighter ones, increasing entropy.