From Pour la Science, April 11, 2022: A new measurement of the mass of the W boson is higher than predicted by the Standard Model. Is this a sign of new physics? For experts in the field, this conclusion would be premature. But this result is nevertheless very interesting as one of the most difficult measurements in physics.
In the news
From the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the University of Chicago, April 4, 2022: The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Strategic Program for Innovation at the National Labs kicked off a new strategic program for innovation on March 23rd with 17 scientists and staff from Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
From Gizmodo, April 7, 2022: A collaboration of 400 researchers have precisely measured the mass of the W boson and to their surprise found that the boson is more massive than predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics. All the data was collected from experiments at the four-story-tall, 4,500-ton Collider Detector (CDF-II for short) at Fermilab’s Tevatron accelerator.
From Physics World, April 7, 2022: Particle physicist Lia Merminga has been appointed the first female director of Fermilab and will begin her term on April 18.
From the BBC, April 7, 2022: Scientists of the CDF collaboration have found a tiny difference in the mass of the W Boson compared with what the theory says it should be – just 0.1%. If confirmed by other experiments, the implications could be enormous and could challenge the Standard Model of particle physics.
From FOX News Chicago, March 29, 2022: For the first time in two years, Fermilab welcomed back visitors on March 28. FOX News asks Fermilab’s Alison Markovitz what is new for the public as the lab reopens and what visitors can expect on the grounds and with outdoor activities.
From Live Science, March 14, 2022: Fermilab’s Alan Bross is leading a team planning to scan the Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest pyramid ever constructed in ancient Egypt. The team will use powerful scans to analyze muons in greater detail aiming to answer the question of what exists in two mysterious voids in the pyramid.
From Energy.gov, March 8, 2022: The Department of Energy celebrates Women’s History Month with postcard stories of women in the energy workforce who faced challenges but followed their passions and continue to make a difference. View Jessica Esquivel’s postcard as she advocates for creating just and equitable spaces in physics.
From WGN news radio, March 2, 2022: Fermilab’s bison camera is live and the word is spreading in Chicagoland on how the public can view the bison 24/7! Herdsman Cleo Garcia joined Lisa Dent on WGN’s Chicago afternoon news sharing how he cares for the bison herd and news on the much anticipated bison calves Fermilab is expecting this spring.
From Innovation News Network, February 25, 2022: PIP-II project director Lia Merminga discusses the Fermilab accelerator complex upgrade being done in collaboration with research institutions in India, the UK, Italy, France, and Poland. Read more about the current status of PIP-II project, what it sets out to achieve and the impacts PIP-II will have on the future of particle physics research.