Posing a hefty problem for physicists, a fundamental particle weighs in heavier than expected

The model we have for understanding the universe's fundamental particles is a bit like a gearbox: one tiny change to any one single particles' properties throws off the mechanics of the other particles, too. Our understanding of the fundamental particles, something known as the Standard Model of particle physics, is one of the most towering human achievements of the past 150 years. RELATED: Why some physicists are skeptical about the muon experiment that hints at "new physics" But there's one big problem: this measurement conflicts with the value scientists use in theoretical inputs for the Standard Model. Schumm said the new measurement of the W boson mass from the CDF was "missing a smoking gun" — specifically, a clearly identified reason that other measurements from different experiments disagree with the CDF's result for the W boson mass. Previously, Schumm told Salon it's "an over-dramatization" to say that the Standard Model would ever be completely rewritten or undone.