Cambridge-led team reports signals at smallest scale; UK funding in doubt

The short version

• A Cambridge-led team reportedly detected signals from a scale about 100 billion times smaller than an atom, nicknamed the zeptoverse, using data from CERN's Large Hadron Collider.[BBC News]
• The 28 countries in the project agreed a £150m upgrade to the LHCb detector, which would increase decay frequency tenfold.[BBC News]
• UK Research and Innovation withdrew its share of the upgrade funding earlier this year amid wider cuts, and LHCb's leader says full UK involvement in the research is in doubt.[BBC News]
• UKRI says it remains a fully engaged CERN member and its second-largest funder, at around £175m a year.[BBC News]

Key facts

• Researchers picked up signals from a scale about 100 billion times smaller than an atom, nicknamed the zeptoverse.[BBC News]
• The research was led by Cambridge-based scientists using data from an experiment at CERN's Large Hadron Collider.[BBC News]
• The 28 countries in the project agreed a £150m upgrade to the LHCb detector, intended to increase decay frequency tenfold.[BBC News]
• UK Research and Innovation announced earlier this year that it was withdrawing its share of the planned upgrade money amid wider cuts.[BBC News]
• Prof Tim Gershon, who leads the LHCb collaboration, told BBC News that full UK involvement in the research would be in doubt.[BBC News]
• UKRI told BBC News it remains a fully engaged CERN member and its second-largest funder, at around £175m a year.[BBC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Scientists detect signals at the smallest scale ever exploredBBC News - Top Stories