News Particle Physics

Muons’ magnetism matches theory, easing an enduring physics conundrum

New results mend a decades-old crack in the standard model of particle physics, but some questions remain

People work in the center of a large, ring-shaped piece of laboratory equipment.

The Muon g−2 experiment studied how muons wobble in the strong magnetic field of a giant, doughnut-shaped magnet (shown).

Ryan Postel/Fermilab

By Emily Conover

One of the most enduring mysteries of particle physics may be finally resolved, two new studies suggest. The oddities of muons, subatomic particles that are relatives of electrons, are starting to make sense.