New Study Provides Clues To Decades-long Neutron Lifespan Puzzle

New Study Provides Clues To Decades-long Neutron Lifespan Puzzle

For the first time, scientists have found a way to estimate the lifetime of a neutron, a subatomic particle with a neutral charge, in the void of space. A team of international researchers used data from NASA’s Messenger spacecraft to measure the rates at which neutrons were emitted from Venus and Mercury. The researchers estimated the lifetime of a neutron to be 13 minutes, but their data reveals that the true value could be up to 130 seconds higher or lower. They emphasize that more accurate measurements would require a dedicated space mission. Researchers believe that the new method could help shed light on how the Universe has formed nearly 14 billion years ago.

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