Proton Decay Suppression Estimate
$$\Gamma_{proton} \sim 10^{-40}\text{ s}^{-1}$$
Status: Unproven — and found to be on the wrong side of the real experimental bound.
Paper 7 and Paper 11 claim this suppressed proton-decay rate is consistent with Super-Kamiokande’s real non-observation of proton decay (2023), presented as supporting evidence for PBT.
Checked directly, in the 2026-07-21 audit: the real Super-K experimental bound is $\tau>10^{34}$ years, which implies a maximum decay rate of $\Gamma<1/\tau\approx3.17\times10^{-42}$ s⁻¹ — any faster decay would already have been detected. The paper’s own claimed $\Gamma\sim10^{-40}$ s⁻¹ is about 30 times larger than this maximum allowed rate. Taken literally, the paper’s own number predicts proton decay fast enough that Super-K should already have seen it — the opposite of the “consistent with non-observation” claim being made. Independently confirmed (Grok, cross-checking the same arithmetic and the direction of the inequality).
What would make this proven: a revised estimate that actually falls below the real $3.17\times10^{-42}$ s⁻¹ bound, derived from the theory’s own stated mechanism rather than asserted to fit.