Scientists detect signals at the smallest scale ever explored

Dark matter makes up a large part of our cosmos, and yet researchers have struggled to detect it.

Scientists know it is there because its gravitational force influences normal matter, but in all other respects it has remained completely invisible.

So in this experiment, particles were smashed together at high energy and scientists studied the material that was thrown out - the shrapnel of collisions.

One of these is a sub-atomic particle - smaller than an atom - called a beauty quark.

The particle is unstable and exists for just one and a half trillionths of a second before breaking down into other forms - decaying.

Despite its short lifetime, researchers managed to detect it interacting with other tiny particles at a scale of a billion-trillionth of a metre.

Some theories suggest that at these scales particles are more sensitive to dark matter and it could influence how the quarks interact and break down. So, detecting activity in this tiny world could help scientists detect dark matter.

"We're knocking on the door of this zeptoverse," Dr Harry Cliff, of Cambridge University who led the analysis of the data, told BBC News.

He said this sub-atomic dance provided researchers with a ringside seat to the behaviour of possible new particles.

"And what we want to do now is go in and explore and find what new particles are waiting there. And to do that, what we need is more data," Cliff added.

Among those early-career researchers is Dr Mary Richardson-Slipper, who is part of the team that made the zeptoverse discovery. She is reconsidering her future in light of the physics cuts.

"I love being here in the UK, but I am looking at jobs abroad because that seems to be where there are more opportunities at the moment," said Richardson-Slipper.

She added that "lots" of her fellow researchers working in fundamental physics had already moved.

The cuts are being made despite an overall record increase in the science budget.

• UK research hit by cuts despite record science funding

Prof Brian Cox, TV presenter and particle researcher at the University of Manchester, who is not part of the research team, described the result as "important".

But he condemned the recent decision to cut UK funding for the Cern project.

"It would be extraordinary to walk away from UK scientific leadership at this moment, damaging the future research programme and seriously damaging our hard-won international reputation," Cox said.

The UKRI told BBC News that it remained a fully engaged member of Cern as its second largest funder at around £175m per year.

A UKRI spokesperson said: "We sought independent advice and have taken forward an exciting portfolio of new infrastructure investments, which include projects in clean energy, medical imaging and cultural heritage.

"However, as usual, there were more exciting applications for funding than we were able to support."