The search for a rare subatomic mystery continues with new data.

Microsoft’s Majorana 1
• Microsoft announced a new quantum computing chip, Majorana 1, which aims to solve meaningful industrial-scale problems in years.
• The chip is named after Majorana particles, a type of subatomic particle with unique properties.
• Majorana particles are their own anti-particle, unlike fermions which have distinct anti-particles.

Neutrinos and Majorana Particles
• Neutrinos are the second-most abundant subatomic particle in the universe, produced in various ways including Big Bang event, radioactive decay, massive star explosions, cosmic rays, and nuclear fusion.
• Their large numbers indicate their involvement in many subatomic processes, providing a clear view of their properties.

Neutrinos and Beta Decay
• Neutrinos come in three varieties and their masses are unknown.
• If neutrinos are found to be Majorana particles, the process of neutrinoless double beta decay (0vßß) can reveal their masses.

Beta Decay and Beta Decay
• Beta decay is a common way for an unstable nucleus to decay.
• It can occur in two forms depending on the number of neutrons or protons in the nucleus.
• The conversion ability stems from the weak interaction, which is one of the four ways subatomic particles can interact with each other.

The Search for 0vßß
• Scientists are currently searching for an extremely rare variant: 0vßß.
• In 0vßß, a nucleus emits two electrons instead of an electron and an anti-neutrino.
• Experiments looking for evidence of 0vßß can use this energy difference to tell whether a nucleus has undergone beta decay or 0vßß.
• The AMoRE experiment in South Korea is currently working on this search.
• The mass of each neutrino would have to be lower than 0.22-0.65 billionths of a proton, which is an extremely low mass ceiling.