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Earth's mantle helps hunt for fifth force of nature
newscientist.com ^ | 19:00 21 February 2013 by | Jacob Aron

Posted on 02/24/2013 4:51:43 PM PST by BenLurkin

Try using the entire Earth to hunt for a new fundamental force of nature.

So say Larry Hunter of Amherst College in Massachusetts, and colleagues. They have created a map of the spins of electrons deep within the Earth's mantle, which could be used to reveal the as-yet-unseen force as well as the strange particles – known as "unparticles" – that might carry it.

We currently know of four fundamental forces: gravity, electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces. The hypothetical fifth force can be thought of as a version of magnetism that does not weaken as quickly with distance.

Electromagnetic fields are produced when two particles exchange virtual photons that pop in and out of existence. But some physicists think another kind of virtual particle could also be exchanged, giving rise to a fifth fundamental force.

One candidate is the unparticle, a mysterious entity dreamed up several years ago. It has an unusual trait: its mass varies depending on the way we measure it, due to a property called scale invariance. As a result, unparticle exchange would not drop off as quickly as electromagnetism with distance – potentially giving rise to measureable long-range effects.

(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: darkforce; earth; earthmantle; fifthforce; mantle; scaleinvariance; stringtheory; unparticle
Shoot

For a moment, thought they were looking for...

1 posted on 02/24/2013 4:51:47 PM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin
Great movie. Funny as heck.

My thought on the scientist is "Hi, we're going to borrow your planet for a quick physics experiment. K?"

/johnny

2 posted on 02/24/2013 4:56:11 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: BenLurkin

bookmark


3 posted on 02/24/2013 4:57:17 PM PST by silverleaf (Age Takes a Toll: Please Have Exact Change)
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To: JRandomFreeper
Its the source of one of my favorite anti troll graphics.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
4 posted on 02/24/2013 5:08:39 PM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: BenLurkin

I was guessing that the article would be about the force that is causing the galaxies to accelerate away from each other.


5 posted on 02/24/2013 5:30:14 PM PST by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: BenLurkin

Ether?


6 posted on 02/24/2013 6:10:29 PM PST by Colorado Doug (Now I know how the Indians felt to be sold out for a few beads and trinkets)
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To: BenLurkin; 6SJ7; AdmSmith; AFPhys; Arkinsaw; allmost; aristotleman; autumnraine; Beowulf; ...

Thanks BenLurkin.

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7 posted on 02/24/2013 8:12:56 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
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To: BenLurkin

Big Bada Boom!


8 posted on 02/24/2013 8:17:07 PM PST by Rodamala
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To: BenLurkin

magnetism = crystallized gravity.


9 posted on 02/25/2013 8:27:22 AM PST by aimhigh ( Guns do not kill people. Abortion kills people.)
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To: aimhigh

10 posted on 02/25/2013 8:41:32 AM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: Hardraade

Bingo + 1

Six for six


11 posted on 02/26/2013 3:11:31 AM PST by MestaMachine (Sometimes the smartest man in the room is standing in the midst of imbeciles.)
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