A University of California Irvine press release promotes research into the decay of an isomer of the short-lived radioisotope beryllium-8.
Noting that
a 6.8σ anomaly has been reported in the opening angle and invariant mass distributions of e+ e- pairs produced in 8Be nuclear transitions,
physicists propose "a 17 MeV protophobic gauge boson" (for comparison, an electron's mass is 0.51 MeV) to explain the observations, saying that the particle's existence could also account for a "discrepancy in the muon anomalous magnetic moment." The force conveyed by the particle is believed to only affect electrons and neutrons, and only at short distances.
further information:
(Score: 1) by Deeo Kain on Wednesday August 17 2016, @09:11AM
May the protophobic gauge boson force be with you!
(Score: 4, Funny) by LoRdTAW on Wednesday August 17 2016, @12:42PM
Look, it's unacceptable to be protophobic these days. It's time we accepted particle equality.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 17 2016, @04:00PM
That's how they call midichlorians nowaday.