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Physics

Physicists discover that 'impossible' particles could actually be real

Every fundamental particle in the universe fits into one of two groups called fermions and bosons, but now it seems there could be other particles out there that break this simple classification and were once thought to be impossible

By Alex Wilkins

8 January 2025

Paraparticles could appear as vibrations in certain quantum systems

Giroscience/Science Photo Library

A group of fundamental particles, long theorised but thought to be physically impossible, might exist after all. Known as paraparticles, they could one day have exotic applications if we ever manage to detect them.

Paraparticles aren’t a new idea, but physicists have previously dismissed them as having no relevance to physical reality. The concept has its origin in a division between the known fundamental particles that are always classified as belonging to one of two groups, either a fermion or a boson.

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