Re: [OM] OK, Flowers, or ?? [was Everything OK on the list?]

[Mike Gordon via olympus]

<<Did you see that muons are in the news again? 
<https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/07/science/particle-physics-muon-fermilab-brookhaven.html?<<campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20210408&instance_id=29017&nl=updates-from-the-newsroom-<<&regi_id=79263528&segment_id=55229&te=1&user_id=a2411c19d66822dbac1885f61b919a09>


Didn't see that one, thanks for the link. I especially like the image of the 
Fermilab with the color/reflections and cumulonimbus clouds.  

This muon magnetic moment controversy is very intriguing.  The standard model 
has proven to be very robust and hard to break despite many many efforts by the 
LHC physicists. 
The LHC did indeed prove the presence of the Higg's boson as predicted by the 
SM, but not much that could even remotely break it.  It would be nice to do so 
and find new physics as it relies on some assumption of constants, does not 
include gravity or explain all this dark stuff.   If the current experiments 
with the remeasuring of the Muon magnetic moment are correct, perhaps there is 
new fundamental force and another particle mediating it.    The new higher 
value for the magnetic moment has been very carefully determined but the 
certainty that is is significantly different has only reached a bit over 3 
sigma---they need to get to 5 sigma or a p<0.00001.  (Medical studies usually 
settle for a p<.05. )  It may take a couple years. 

So there are 3 possibilities:

The new measurement is correct and it breaks the standard model. The NYT makes 
it sound like almost a done deal.  

The new measurement is really noise and will not bear up to 5 sigma scrutiny.

The new measurement is correct but the assumptions using the SM primarily the 
contribution of the strong force were wrong and the SM remains undamaged.

Zolton Fodor from Penn State just published an  article in Nature to that 
effect using a very involved model for the contribution of the strong force 
which now puts the SM in agreement with the new measurement of the muon 
magnetic moment.  

https://theconversation.com/proof-of-new-physics-from-the-muons-magnetic-moment-maybe-not-according-to-a-new-theoretical-calculation-157829

The competing  hypotheses are at the top of the stretch with the New Physics 
Bernie Sanders horse leading by a nose but the SM horse is still very much in 
contention with the incorrect measurement horse a length behind.  

Which horse will win?  Mike




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