Scientists at Cern have discovered a heavier version of the proton, named Xi-cc-plus, using the upgraded LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The particle, which is four times heavier than a standard proton, was detected in the debris of high-energy proton collisions that recreate conditions just after the Big Bang.
The Xi-cc-plus consists of two charm quarks and one up quark, replacing the two up quarks and one down quark found in ordinary protons. It decays within less than a millionth of a millionth of a second, but its detection was made possible by improvements to the LHCb detector that allowed scientists to spot it after just one year of data collection.
Physicists believe the discovery will help refine understanding of the strong nuclear force, which binds quarks inside protons and neutrons. Professor Tim Gershon of the University of Warwick, incoming international lead for LHCb, described the finding as the first of many expected insights from the upgraded detector.
The discovery comes as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) faces criticism for plans to withdraw £50m in funding for the final LHCb upgrade in the 2030s. Labour MP Chi Onwurah, chair of the Commons science committee, called the cuts 'wholly unacceptable' in a letter to UKRI's chief executive and the science minister, demanding swift action to reverse the decision.
Professor Gershon warned that no other experiment can currently replicate the LHCb's unique physics capabilities, stressing the importance of resolving the funding issue to secure the project's future.
