New particles uncovered by researchers at the University of Hamburg and DESY

In a groundbreaking discovery that could rewrite textbooks and challenge long-held assumptions in physics, scientists at the Quantum Universe excellence cluster, a collaboration between the University of Hamburg (UHH) and DESY, have discovered a new particle called Toponium.

The existence of Toponium, a bound state of a top quark and its antiparticle, challenges the assumption that the top quark, the heaviest known elementary particle, is too short-lived to form a bound state with its antiparticle. This discovery, made using experiments at the particle accelerator of CERN, a large research institution for fundamental physics in Geneva, could open up new possibilities to study the behavior of top quarks more precisely.

Laurids Jeppe, a doctoral student at the University of Hamburg and part of the CMS research team at DESY, is involved in investigating the Toponium signal more precisely. His work, along with that of his colleagues, could provide a more detailed understanding of the basic structure of all matter.

The first indications of Toponium were observed in the years 2016, 2017, and 2018. The scientists from UHH and DESY, working together in the Quantum Universe excellence cluster, were instrumental in the discovery. Christian Schwanenberger, a professor of experimental physics at UHH and involved in the Compact Muon Solenoid Experiment (CMS), explains that the Toponium result could have profound implications for our understanding of the strong interaction, one of the four fundamental forces of nature.

The Quantum Universe excellence cluster, classified as "nationally significant", is one of five excellence clusters identified for top research in Hamburg. The life science industry in Hamburg is also being assessed for innovation. The University of Hamburg (UHH) has presented a new study on climate change, further demonstrating its commitment to research and innovation.

Visit uni-hamburg.de and desy.de for more information on the University of Hamburg and DESY's respective research and projects. For updates on the Toponium discovery and its implications, stay tuned to the latest scientific news.