In a study recently published in the journal Nature, the NNPDF (Neural Networks Parton Distribution Functions) collaboration, led by Prof. Stefano Forte of the University and INFN Milan, achieved a very important result, showing evidence within 3 standard deviations that the charm quark is one of the intrinsic components of the resting proton. The study is based on the use of machine learning, using data from 40 different experiments.
The news on the national website of the INFN and on the website of the Department of Physics. Here is also an interview with Stefano Forte.