'Fifth force of the universe': NASA's Bennu asteroid sample could turn hypothetical theory into reality
Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Bennu Asteroid Sample
A year after NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returned dust and rock samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, scientists are using the data to explore the possible existence of a fifth fundamental force in the universe.
Credit: NASA
Led by Los Alamos National Laboratory
An international research team, led by experts from Los Alamos National Laboratory, is examining Bennu's tracking data for evidence of a mysterious force that could challenge current understandings of the universe's fundamental laws.
Published in Communications Physics
The study, highlighted in *Communications Physics*, delves into how asteroid trajectory data can contribute to potential discoveries that may reshape the Standard Model of physics, which currently explains the fundamental forces and particles.
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Potential to Revise Physics Models
According to Yu-Dai Tsai, the lead author of the paper, analyzing Bennu’s trajectory data could lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of gravity, dark matter, and other unexplained phenomena in the universe.
Tracking Near-Earth Asteroids
Near-Earth asteroids like Bennu are closely monitored due to their potential threat to Earth. The tracking data from these asteroids, combined with findings from OSIRIS-REx, has been applied to test theories extending beyond the Standard Model of physics.
Yukawa-Type Fifth Forces
Co-author Sunny Vagnozzi from the University of Trento explained that the precise trajectory data of Bennu helped set some of the strictest limits on the possible existence of a fifth force, known as Yukawa-type forces, potentially mediated by ultralight particles.
Analyzing Anomalies in Trajectories
Similar to how the discovery of Neptune was linked to irregularities in the orbit of Uranus, anomalies in Bennu’s orbit could reveal new forces acting upon it, providing clues about the presence of a fifth force in the universe.
Future Focus on Apophis Asteroid
The research team plans to apply their techniques to the Apophis asteroid, which will pass close to Earth in 2029. NASA's OSIRIS-APEX mission will study Apophis to further investigate the impact of gravity and the search for a possible fifth force.