CERN's Hadron Collider scientists discover 2 new subatomic particles made from three quarks

Scientists at CERN have discovered two new subatomic particles, each made from three quarks bound together by the strong force. These particles were predicted to exist by the Standard Model of particle physics.

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Scientists at CERN have discovered two new subatomic particles, each made from three quarks bound together by the strong force. These particles were predicted to exist by the Standard Model of particle physics.

The particles are part of the baryon family and are made from three quarks bound together - one beauty (b), one strange (S), and one down (d) quark - and are within the so-called "Standard Model" theory, which explains the building blocks of matter.

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The particles are known as Xi_b'- and Xi_b*- and although scientists had predicted their existence they had never actually been seen before. A related particle called Xi_b*0 was found in 2012.

Scientists have been crashing protons into each other in the 17 kilometer tunnel at CERN to try and find out more about the universe and the tiny particles that make it.

These new particles are more than six times the size of the protons that have been smashed together by scientists. This is because they contain the b quarks which are more than six times heavier than the proton.

Also, the Xi_b*-is a little heavier.