Fifth force of nature might be in the heart of galaxy (the new research on a row).

Our understanding of the universe based largely on Einstein theory of general relativity relies on four fundamental forces – gravity, electromagnetic and the strong and the weak nuclear forces. These forces stop planet, molecules and even atoms from tearing themselves apart and are the building blocks for the physical rules of the cosmos. But in recent decades whispers of a fifth force of nature have surfaced and if it exists it could overthrow everything we know about how the universe works. Now researchers have discovered the ultimate way to test whether this fifth force is real and it involves tracking the stars at the center of our galaxy.

• Research

The team used some of the most detailed images of the centre of the milky way ever taken and captured by the Keck observatory in Hawaii. They will track the orbits of stars close to the galaxy’s super massive black hole to measure the direct influence of gravity on the movement of the stellar objects.

If a fifth force is influencing the way the star move the team will notice as their direction will shift away from predictions made using the standard model of physics. This is pretty exciting our work on studying stars at the centre of our milky way galaxy is opening up a new method of looking at how gravity works said by professor Ghez. This is the first time the fifth force theory has been tested in a strong gravitational field.

• The super massive holes

Super massive black holes are incredibly dense areas in the centre of galaxies with masses that can be billions of times that of the sun. they act as intense sources of gravity which Hoover up dust and gas around them. Their intense gravitational pull is thought to be what the stars within galaxies orbit around. How they are formed is still poorly understood. Astronomers believe they form when a large cloud of gas up to 100, 000 times higher than the sun collapses into a black hole.

25, 000 light years away from the earth is the galactic center. It is the rotational center of the milky way galaxy.

• The four forces of nature

The four forces of nature hold the standard model of physics together which is what we use to describe the behavior of particles and matters. The smaller forces of the four are strong and weak nuclear forces. While the strong nuclear force holds atomic nuclei together, the weak nuclear force allows the radioactive decay of certain atoms. At the large scale end of the four forces sit gravity and electromagnetic forces. The electromagnetic force binds molecules together while gravity stops entire planet and galaxies from being torn apart. But the problem with these fundamental forces is that since Einstein’s crowning theory surfaced several holes have been poked in the way we understand gravity. Gravity is the last of the four forces that humans are yet to figure out how to create and control.

• The fifth force of nature !

Researchers has proposed the ultimate test for the theory of a fifth force. And it involves tracking stars at the center of our galaxy. They have begun taking measurements and will follow the stars over the next two decades to reach a conclusion on gravity and the fifth force. Einstein’s theory describes (gravity) beautifully well but there lots of evidence showing the theory has holes said professor Andrea Ghez director of the university of California, Los Angeles, galactic center group.