Suvarna Ramachandran and Jimin George win Breakthrough Prize for Muon g-2 work
Updated
Updated · Onmanorama · May 8
Suvarna Ramachandran and Jimin George win Breakthrough Prize for Muon g-2 work
3 articles · Updated · Onmanorama · May 8
The Bengaluru-based physicists were among 300-plus scientists honoured with the $3m, ₹28 crore award for Fermilab's 2018-2023 experiment.
The collaboration reported its most precise muon magnetic moment measurement on 3 June 2025, with 127 parts-per-billion precision after analysing petabytes of data.
The result could help test the Standard Model and hint at unknown particles, while the pair said India needs stronger particle-physics infrastructure and earlier science exposure.
Why did a prize-winning experiment, once hinting at new physics, ultimately end up confirming our current theories?
After winning science's 'Oscar' abroad, can India build the facilities to keep its top scientific talent at home?
With the muon anomaly now resolved, where will scientists look next for clues beyond the Standard Model?
Muon g-2 Collaboration Wins 2026 Breakthrough Prize for Record-Setting Precision Measurement Resolving the Anomaly
Overview
In 2026, the Muon g-2 collaboration received the Breakthrough Prize for achieving the world's most precise measurement of the muon's magnetic anomaly using advanced techniques like a superconducting storage ring and extensive calibration systems. Their initial 2021 result showed a surprising discrepancy with the Standard Model, hinting at new physics. However, by 2026, improved theoretical calculations using lattice QCD resolved this anomaly, bringing theory and experiment into close agreement. Despite this, ongoing tensions in theoretical methods and the need for even greater precision drive continued experiments at Fermilab and J-PARC, alongside global efforts to refine predictions and explore new physics possibilities.