Tiny Particle With No Charge Discovered

Tiny Particle With No Charge Discovered 280

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:36PM from the met-with-a-neutral-response dept.

ZonkerWilliam writes to mention PhysOrg is reporting that a tiny particle with no charge, called an 'axion' has been discovered. From the article: "The finding caps nearly three decades of research both by Piyare Jain, Ph.D., UB professor emeritus in the Department of Physics and lead investigator on the research, who works independently -- an anomaly in the field -- and by large groups of well-funded physicists who have, for three decades, unsuccessfully sought the recreation and detection of axions in the laboratory, using high-energy particle accelerators."

Tiny Particle With No Charge Discovered

This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Search 280 Comments Log In/Create an Account

Comments Filter:

Three decades? (Score:0, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:39PM (#17138056)

Three decades? Dear god, I don't think there is any charge left in that sex life ;-)

What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:5, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:39PM (#17138062)

"No charge."

Won't hold a charge... (Score:5, Funny)

by __aaclcg7560 ( 824291 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:39PM (#17138074)

Even in the field of particle physics, there had to be a slacker somewhere.

They find an axion?? (Score:3, Funny)

by brxndxn ( 461473 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:40PM (#17138096)

Hire them to find Bin Laden!!

Re:Three decades? (Score:3, Funny)

by __aaclcg7560 ( 824291 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:43PM (#17138130)

Don't forget all the baby particles. :p

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:4, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:43PM (#17138138)

> Now where's that big friggin' hook....
In the box with or without the cat.

A particle with no charge? (Score:2, Funny)

by elmCitySlim ( 957476 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:43PM (#17138140) Homepage

Isn't that known as the slutty little neighbor of the sub-atomic world?

Called "axion"? (Score:3, Funny)

by necro2607 ( 771790 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:52PM (#17138274)

That's crazy. How do they know it's called an axion? ... ;)

Re:This is a big deal (Score:5, Funny)

by AuMatar ( 183847 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:55PM (#17138326)

String theory will merely add a 29th dimnension where axions can exist to make the math work.

Re:Won't hold a charge... (Score:2, Funny)

by Del Vach ( 449393 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:00PM (#17138416)

What do you expect? The scientists are coddling them with all the emphasis on recreation!

They say the axion has no charge? (Score:5, Funny)

by Z1NG ( 953122 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:02PM (#17138434)

Are they positive?

Re:Long Lived Axions (Score:3, Funny)

by Scarblac ( 122480 ) writes: <slashdot@gerlich.nl> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:04PM (#17138472) Homepage

Presumably then, they can only detect them at the very end of the 10^50 seconds.

Re:They find an axion?? (Score:5, Funny)

by Cyberax ( 705495 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:09PM (#17138524)

Well, physicists can do this, but this would involve smashing Earth to pieces and looking at its debris.

BTW, and they would need about $10000000000000000000 funding for LEC (Large Earth Collider).

Re:They find an axion?? (Score:5, Funny)

by fimbulvetr ( 598306 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:12PM (#17138554)

Well, physicists can do this, but this would involve smashing Earth to pieces and looking at its debris.

BTW, and they would need about $10000000000000000000 funding for LEC (Large Earth Collider).

About the same requirements as the US military then, eh?

Re:They say the axion has no charge? (Score:2, Funny)

by M00TP01NT ( 596278 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:12PM (#17138568)

That's a negative, Z1NG.

I for one, do not welcome our new Overlords (Score:5, Funny)

by CrazyJim1 ( 809850 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:16PM (#17138598) Journal

We must defeat the Axion of evil.

No Charge eh? (Score:4, Funny)

by vivin ( 671928 ) writes: <vivin,paliath&gmail,com> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:19PM (#17138626) Homepage Journal

No Charge! Shouldn't be too hard to justify the cost of this research! ;)

Anyways, pretty good!

Re:Won't hold a charge... (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:19PM (#17138628)

Don't be so negative!

Everyone just assuned this particle existed (Score:2, Funny)

by davidwr ( 791652 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:22PM (#17138682) Homepage Journal

The existance of such a particle is axionatic in the physics world.

Re:and it means... (Score:5, Funny)

by alexhard ( 778254 ) writes: <alexhard AT gmail DOT com> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:28PM (#17138800) Homepage

axion () means worthy in greek. ;)
I actually read 'geek' first and sat here wondering 'when did we get our own language?' for a couple of seconds..

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:5, Funny)

by joe_bruin ( 266648 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:29PM (#17138808) Homepage Journal

"No charge."

Don't be confused. This particle has no charge, it's free as in beer.

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:5, Funny)

by proxy318 ( 944196 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:31PM (#17138838)

An atom walks into a police station and says "One of my electrons has been stolen!"
The police say "Are you sure?"
And the atom replies...

"Yes! I'm positive!"

Re:true? (Score:5, Funny)

by rentedflowers ( 640237 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:43PM (#17139014)

You're missing the really groundbreaking development here, though.

This is a /. article, claiming a scientific discovery, that is traceable to a peer-reviewed journal article. A well-respected journal, no less. This is truly a first.

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:3, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:56PM (#17139178)

With AND without the cat.

Re:true? (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:25PM (#17139588)

Ancient guy (can't even figure out how to use arXiv?) at small university uses archaic technology to detect particle totally unanticipated by theory? Writes up discovery using Excel plots in a minor journal? This sounds like an even better investment than the one my Nigerian friend e-mailed me about. Where can I sign up?

Funding (Score:5, Funny)

by OldManAndTheC++ ( 723450 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:33PM (#17139690)

Dear Sir,

Your proposal intrigues us. If you can flesh it out with further details, we are certain that a mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached. Eagerly awaiting your reply.

Sincerely Yours,

Galactus, LEXX, and Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz

geek language (Score:3, Funny)

by LunaticTippy ( 872397 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:36PM (#17139740)

Geeks have their own language. Lots of them. Perl, java, c++, mathematical notation, the geekcode, etc.

Re:Detected... (Score:3, Funny)

by dgatwood ( 11270 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:52PM (#17139890) Homepage Journal

No, it's subtraction. It lasts for -3 seconds.

:-)

A use for axions... (Score:2, Funny)

by swordfishBob ( 536640 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @09:12PM (#17140062)

free transactions in a micropayment environment

Particle physics news usually gives me a charge... (Score:4, Funny)

by thewiz ( 24994 ) * writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @09:13PM (#17140078)

but this story left me feeling kind of neutral about the whole thing.

Re:Detected... (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @10:38PM (#17140792)

NERD FIGHT!!!11!!1

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:4, Funny)

by Surt ( 22457 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @10:44PM (#17140834) Homepage Journal

With the cat. Dead or Alive, the cat is still there.

Re:geek language (Score:5, Funny)

by Poltras ( 680608 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @10:48PM (#17140884) Homepage

!true. You !make (assumptions || hypothesis) && !(proof). Please; Bring( proof )->clarify.

Well gee I'm not a physicist, but... (Score:4, Funny)

by Hrothgar The Great ( 36761 ) writes: on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @11:19PM (#17141122) Journal

probably resides in another dimension

Are you sure you heard this from a real source? Are you sure that maybe you didn't get drunk and pass out while your television was playing DRAGONBALL Z RERUNS?

Re:Won't hold a charge... (Score:2, Funny)

by EinZweiDrei ( 955497 ) * writes: <einzweidrei@wildmail.com> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @11:32PM (#17141222)

Theoretical physics is no stranger to this kind of irresponsible behavior. Fortunately, it can be resolved: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/52324 [theonion.com]

Re:They find an axion?? (Score:2, Funny)

by Zonnald ( 182951 ) writes: on Thursday December 07, 2006 @12:26AM (#17141616)

Large Earth collisions don't kill people. People kill people.

Re:They find an axion?? (Score:3, Funny)

by schon ( 31600 ) writes: on Thursday December 07, 2006 @12:39AM (#17141732)

the US military then, eh?

That'd be about two zeros more
Hey, that's a horrible thing to say about the president and secretary of defense!

Re:and it means... (Score:2, Funny)

by zolaar ( 764683 ) writes: on Thursday December 07, 2006 @12:51AM (#17141826)

j00 mU57 b3 n00 h3R3...

Re:Detected... (Score:3, Funny)

by Alsee ( 515537 ) writes: on Thursday December 07, 2006 @02:36AM (#17142458) Homepage

Lockerroom trashtalk:

My brain occupies greater volume than your brain!
Oh yeah? Your ancestor wasn't a monkey!
Was so!
Was not!
Was so!
Was not!
**Snatch**
Heay! No fair! Gimme me back my glasses!
Nyah nyah! The only girl that would ever date you would have to be the square root of negative two! Irrational AND imaginary!
When my mother gets here she's gonna make you give my glasses back!

-

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:2, Funny)

by O.W.M ( 884392 ) writes: on Thursday December 07, 2006 @03:46AM (#17142866)

With the cat. Dead AND Alive.

Re:Look, it's very simple. (Score:3, Funny)

by mbelly ( 827938 ) writes: on Thursday December 07, 2006 @05:23AM (#17143344)

They already did... [msn.com]

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:2, Funny)

by StuckInSyrup ( 745480 ) writes: on Thursday December 07, 2006 @06:53AM (#17143818)

The cat is dead. It is in the box since 1935. No cat can live this long. Deal with it.

Re:It makes perfect sense (Score:2, Funny)

by yakineko oni ( 1036820 ) writes: on Thursday December 07, 2006 @11:59AM (#17146762)

well, sure, usually there needs to be a whole pile of collaborators on these things, but the more observers there are, the higher the chance that the results will be changed by the observance of the phenomenon...

There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

Three decades? (Score:0, Funny)

What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:5, Funny)

Won't hold a charge... (Score:5, Funny)

They find an axion?? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Three decades? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:4, Funny)

A particle with no charge? (Score:2, Funny)

Called "axion"? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:This is a big deal (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Won't hold a charge... (Score:2, Funny)

They say the axion has no charge? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Long Lived Axions (Score:3, Funny)

Re:They find an axion?? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:They find an axion?? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:They say the axion has no charge? (Score:2, Funny)

I for one, do not welcome our new Overlords (Score:5, Funny)

No Charge eh? (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Won't hold a charge... (Score:2, Funny)

Everyone just assuned this particle existed (Score:2, Funny)

Re:and it means... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:true? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:true? (Score:1, Funny)

Funding (Score:5, Funny)

geek language (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Detected... (Score:3, Funny)

A use for axions... (Score:2, Funny)

Particle physics news usually gives me a charge... (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Detected... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:4, Funny)

Re:geek language (Score:5, Funny)

Well gee I'm not a physicist, but... (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Won't hold a charge... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:They find an axion?? (Score:2, Funny)

Re:They find an axion?? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:and it means... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Detected... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Look, it's very simple. (Score:3, Funny)

Re:What did the bartender say to the axion? (Score:2, Funny)

Re:It makes perfect sense (Score:2, Funny)

Related Links Top of the: day, week, month.

Slashdot Top Deals