From Old Symmetries to New Symmetries: Quarks, Leptons and B-L

TL;DR

This paper reviews the development and recent progress in understanding B-L as a potential new symmetry in particle physics, which could explain neutrino masses and be tested in experiments.

Contribution

It summarizes the historical evolution and recent advances in B-L symmetry research beyond the Standard Model.

Findings

B-L symmetry is a promising candidate for new physics beyond the Standard Model.

Experimental searches at colliders and low-energy processes may detect B-L signals.

B-L could provide insights into the origin of neutrino masses.

Abstract

The Baryon-Lepton difference ($B-L$) is increasingly emerging as a possible new symmetry of the weak interactions of quarks and leptons as a way to understand the small neutrino masses. There is the possibility that current and future searches at colliders and in low energy rare processes may provide evidence for this symmetry. This paper provides a brief overview of the early developments that led to B-L as a possible symmetry beyond the standard model, and also discusses some recent developments.