There may be multiple versions of the elusive ‘God particle’ – or Higgs boson – according to a new study.

Finding the Higgs is the primary aim of the 6bn pounds ($10bn) Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment near Geneva.

But recent results from the LHC’s US rival suggest physicists could be hunting five particles, not one.

The data may point to new laws of physics beyond the current accepted theory – known as the Standard Model.

The Higgs boson’s nickname comes from its importance to the Standard Model; it is the sub-atomic particle which explains why all other particles have mass.

However, despite decades trying, no one, so far, has detected it.

The idea of multiple Higgs bosons is supported by results gathered by the DZero experiment at the Tevatron particle accelerator, operated by Fermilab in Illinois, US.
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The Standard Model fits just about every test we’ve thrown at it. To fit in a new effect in one particular place is not easy

Dr Adam MartinFermilab

DZero is designed to shed light on why the world around us is composed of normal matter and not its shadowy opposite: anti-matter.

Researchers working on the experiment observed collisions of protons and anti-protons in […]