‘Tantalizing’ results of 2 experiments defy physics rulebook

By SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer
Results from two experiments in the United States and Europe are shaking the world of particle physics. Decades ago, scientists created the Standard Model, a basic rulebook that explains the particles and forces of the universe, and experiments over the years seemed to confirm it was right on the money. But results from several years of high energy particle crashes in Geneva and a particle loop outside of Chicago aren’t following what the Standard Model predicts. In both cases, a tiny particle called the muon isn’t behaving according to the rules. The muon is a fleeting heavy cousin of the electron that isn’t part of the atom.