BNL scientists share Breakthrough Prize for work that could lead to new physics
Brookhaven National Laboratory physicist William Morse and his son David, a Senior Research Scientist at Northeastern University, shared the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for contributions to the muon g-2 experiment, which seeks to uncover new physics beyond the Standard Model. The collaboration, spanning decades and multiple labs including CERN and Fermilab, aims to measure the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment with unprecedented precision to potentially reveal undiscovered particles or forces.
Brookhaven National Laboratory physicist William Morse and his son David, a Senior Research Scientist at Northeastern University, were honored with the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for their work on the muon g-2 experiment. Morse, who leads the Electronic Detector Group at BNL, played a key role in the collaboration, which investigates discrepancies between the predicted and observed magnetic properties of muons—a phenomenon that could hint at new particles or physics beyond the Standard Model. The muon g-2 experiment began at CERN in 1959, moved to Brookhaven National Laboratory from 1990 to 2004, and later transitioned to Fermilab in Chicago, where the latest results were published in 2025. The project involves measuring the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment, a minuscule deviation that could point to unknown forces or matter. The Standard Model, which governs particle physics, fails to explain dark matter, dark energy, and other cosmic mysteries, leaving scientists searching for answers. The $3 million prize will be divided among hundreds of experimental scientists, with Morse receiving $7,500. The collaboration required decades of engineering innovation, including the construction of a 50-foot superconducting magnet at BNL—a first for its scale. Don Von Lintig, an Advanced Technical Associate at BNL since 2000, highlighted the project’s physical and mental demands, from assembling massive steel components to ensuring precision in a high-stakes experiment. The muon g-2 experiment could unlock new discoveries, such as particles that explain why matter dominates over antimatter or account for the universe’s missing mass-energy. Morse and his team’s work continues to push the boundaries of particle physics, offering a potential window into uncharted scientific territory. The 2025 Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Santa Monica, California, celebrated their contributions alongside other groundbreaking achievements in fundamental physics.
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