Have Scientists Discovered A Possible Fifth Force Of Nature?

It is well known that gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and weak nuclear forces are among the four fundamental forces which rule our universe, but, now, a new study has found evidence of a mysterious fifth force of nature. The study which was conducted by University of California researchers has proved the existence of a mysterious new particle, "protophobic X boson," indicating a possible fifth force of nature.

For the purpose of the study published in the journal Physical Review Letters, the researchers examined data compiled by experimental nuclear physicists at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, who researched about "dark photons," which could be hypothetical indicators of mysterious dark matter. It is believed that dark matter makes up around 85 percent of all matter in the entire universe. But, as it neither absorbs nor emits light, it is next to impossible to detect dark matter directly.

The research team found that the newly found particle, which might not be a "dark photon," is around 30 times heavier than an electron and interacts only with protons and neutrons, and that too only at very short distances, reported Space.com. The data gathered by the Hungarian nuclear physicists suggest the particle is a "protophobic X boson."

Study lead author, Jonathan Feng, who is a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, said that if the discovery gets approved by future experiments then a possible fifth force would completely change people's understanding of the universe. He added that the Hungarian experimentalists weren't able to claim that the particle they found in their study was a new force. They were confused whether it was a matter particle or a force-carrying particle, reported Daily Mail.

Feng said that the potential fifth force of nature may be linked to the electromagnetic as well as strong and weak nuclear forces, as "manifestations of one grander, more fundamental force." He went to explain that there are possibilities that the universe of "normal" matter and forces has a parallel "dark" sector, which has its own matter and forces. The researchers stressed that more study and experiments are needed to further prove the possibility of a fifth force of nature.