Muon physics: Have we found a new force of nature? | Alex Keshavarzi | TEDxManchester

One of the great quests in science is to be able to deepen our understanding of the Universe and how it works, a “theory of everything” ultimately. Last year, the exciting and long-awaited first results of the Muon g-2 Experiment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Chicago reported some astounding news for the world of physics.

Using particles called muons to act as a window into the subatomic world, the experiment has found compelling evidence of new particles and/or forces existing in our universe. Should the recent results be confirmed with the increased precision, it will be the first direct confirmation of new physics beyond scientist’s best theory of the fundamental structure of the universe: the Standard Model of particle physics.

Regarding Alex’s involvement in the project, he is a principal UK researcher on the Muon g-2 Experiment at Fermilab (USA), and has been so for the last 8 years, now working for the University of Manchester. His talk discusses the current state of the art on particle physics and how these experiments could change physics forever.

Dr Alex Keshavarzi is a particle physicist at the University of Manchester, working on experiments to test our best understanding of the fundamental structure of the universe.

Alex completed his degree in astrophysics and a master’s degree in physics at Queen Mary, University of London, before undertaking a PhD in theoretical physics at the University of Liverpool. He has been a research associate at the University of Manchester since 2019.

Alex’s main focus is in the study of particles called muons (the heavy cousin of the electron), and primarily is working on experiments at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in the USA. By exploring the precise behaviour of muons, he hopes to try and uncover the existence of new particles or forces of nature. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx