According to a measurement at Fermilab, the W boson is more massive than allowed in the Standard Model of particle physics. Is this another storm in a teacup? Or is there more to it?
The CDF detector on the Tevatron accelerator is being dismantled.
The Standard Model of particle physics is a finely balanced structure. There are multiple relationships between the particles and forces in the model. For example, if one knows the mass of the Higgs particle and the top quark, the mass of the so-called W boson is also narrowed down. This heavyweight particle mediates the weak nuclear force that causes atomic nuclei to decay. If a precision measurement delivers a different result than expected, there are actually only two possibilities. Either the measurement is wrong. Or there must be other particles and forces beyond the Standard Model that subtly affect the mass of the W boson. One would have opened up new physical territory in an indirect way.