Measurement of the ${}^{20}$F half-life

The half-life of the ${}^{20}$F ground state has been measured using a radioactive beam implanted in a plastic scintillator and recording $\beta \gamma$ coincidences together with four CsI(Na) detectors. The result, $T_{1\mathrm{/}2}=11.0011(69{)}_{\mathrm{s}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{t}}(30{)}_{\mathrm{s}\mathrm{y}\mathrm{s}}$~s, is at variance by 17 combined standard deviations with the two most precise results. The present value revives the poor consistency of results for this half-life and calls for a new measurement, with a technique having different sources of systematic effects, to clarify the discrepancy.