Hep-Ph explores the fundamental forces that govern how particles interact and behave at the smallest scales imaginable. This field bridges the gap between theoretical predictions and experimental reality, helping scientists understand the building blocks of our universe without getting lost in complex mathematics. Whether investigating the Higgs boson or searching for new physics beyond current models, these studies push the boundaries of human knowledge about matter and energy.

At Gist.Science, we process every new preprint in this category as soon as it appears on arXiv. We strip away the dense jargon to offer both accessible plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries, ensuring that groundbreaking research is understandable to everyone from students to seasoned experts. Below are the latest papers in this dynamic field, ready for you to explore with clarity and depth.

⚛️ nuclear theory

Ultraheavy Ultrahigh-Energy Cosmic Rays

This paper proposes that ultraheavy nuclei could constitute the highest-energy cosmic rays, offering a consistent explanation for the Amaterasu particle, constraints on source energy generation rates, and the spectral tension between Telescope Array and Pierre Auger Observatory data, while predicting distinct shower maximum depths for future experimental verification.

B. Theodore Zhang, Kohta Murase, Nick Ekanger, Mukul Bhattacharya, Shunsaku Horiuchi2026-05-12
⚛️ phenomenology

Correlative study of flavor anomalies and dark matter in the light of scalar leptoquark

This paper proposes a U(1)Le−LμU(1)_{L_e-L_\mu} gauge extension of the Standard Model featuring a scalar leptoquark, new fermions, and inert scalars to simultaneously explain BB-meson flavor anomalies, generate neutrino masses, and provide a dark matter candidate, while analyzing constraints from b→sb \to s transitions and predicting observables for Λb\Lambda_b decays.

Manas Kumar Mohapatra, Shivaramakrishna Singirala, Dhiren Panda, Rukmani Mohanta2026-05-12
⚛️ phenomenology

Nucleosynthesis and CMB bounds on photophilic ALPs: a fresh look

This paper provides a model-independent re-evaluation of cosmological constraints on photophilic axion-like particles with masses below 10 GeV and lifetimes under 10410^4 seconds by incorporating rare hadronic decays and reheating temperature dependencies, revealing extended bounds and potential parameter space to resolve tensions in NeffN_{\rm eff} and deuterium abundance.

Miguel Escudero, Clara Garcia-Perez, Maksym Ovchynnikov2026-05-12
⚛️ high-energy experiments

Complete one-loop QED corrections to Ds+D_s^+ leptonic decays and impact on the CKM unitarity test

This paper presents the first complete analytical derivation of one-loop electroweak and QED corrections to Ds+D_s^+ leptonic decays, demonstrating that incorporating these radiative effects resolves the reported violation of CKM unitarity in the second column and highlights the need for improved lattice simulations including QED corrections to further confirm the Standard Model.

Teppei Kitahara, Jun Miyamoto, Kota Sasaki2026-05-12
⚛️ high-energy theory

Properties of Stable Massive Quark Stars in Holography

By phenomenologically adjusting a holographic D3/D7 system to describe a deconfined yet massive quark phase, this study demonstrates that such matter can form a stiff equation of state capable of supporting stable hybrid stars with quark cores up to 2 solar masses, thereby offering a viable holographic framework for exploring the interiors of heavy compact stars.

Kazem Bitaghsir Fadafan, Jesús Cruz Rojas, Jonas Mager2026-05-12
⚛️ nuclear theory

Constrained Gaussian-process bridge prior for neutron-star equation-of-state inference

This paper introduces a novel, model-agnostic method using constrained Gaussian-process bridges to generate stable, causal, and thermodynamically consistent nonparametric priors for neutron-star equation-of-state inference, enabling the flexible integration of diverse theoretical constraints without requiring iterative shooting.

Tyler Gorda, Oleg Komoltsev, Aleksi Kurkela, Eirik Sunde2026-05-12
⚛️ general relativity

The new generation lunar gravitational wave detectors: sky map resolution and joint analysis

This paper demonstrates that the proposed lunar-based Crater Interferometry Gravitational-wave Observatory (CIGO) and its upgraded tetrahedral configuration (TCIGO) can significantly outperform existing space-based missions like TianQin and LISA in sky map resolution for monochromatic sources in the 0.1–10 Hz band, provided lunar noise is effectively mitigated.

Xiaolin Zhang, Chengye Yu, Haoran Li, Sobhan Kazempour, Mingqiu Li, Sichun Sun2026-05-12