High energy physics and the Higgs boson [video]
‘God particle’ physicist proven right [video]
Scientists confident Higgs boson has been found [video]
'God Particle' Found: Researchers Claim [video]
The God particle no longer a theory
HUMANITY'S understanding of the origin of the universe after the big bang has taken a historic leap forward with the discovery of a subatomic particle that scientists have been searching for and theorising about for almost 50 years.
In jubilant scenes in Geneva and Melbourne, physicists learned that scientists working at the $10 billion Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland had found what they believe to be the Higgs boson or "God particle".
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research, or CERN, announced the "milestone in the understanding of nature", saying it had found a new subatomic particle consistent with the Higgs boson.
"The next step will be to determine the precise nature of the particle and its significance for our understanding of the universe," a CERN statement said.
Peter Higgs, 83, the shy and softly spoken British physicist who, along with two other groups, published the conceptual groundwork for the particle in 1964, expressed his joy yesterday. He said he was "astounded at the amazing speed with which these results have emerged".
Full story at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/the-god-particle-no-longer-a-theory/story-e6frg8y6-1226417322607
In jubilant scenes in Geneva and Melbourne, physicists learned that scientists working at the $10 billion Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland had found what they believe to be the Higgs boson or "God particle".
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research, or CERN, announced the "milestone in the understanding of nature", saying it had found a new subatomic particle consistent with the Higgs boson.
"The next step will be to determine the precise nature of the particle and its significance for our understanding of the universe," a CERN statement said.
Peter Higgs, 83, the shy and softly spoken British physicist who, along with two other groups, published the conceptual groundwork for the particle in 1964, expressed his joy yesterday. He said he was "astounded at the amazing speed with which these results have emerged".
Full story at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/the-god-particle-no-longer-a-theory/story-e6frg8y6-1226417322607
In that other big hit-up, science finds Higgs boson
IT EXISTS.
In a discovery that throws light on the very fabric of space and time, a new subatomic particle has been found that is very likely the long-sought Higgs boson.
Making one of the most anticipated and exciting announcements in modern science last night, two teams of researchers using the world's biggest atom smasher, the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland, announced they had observed the new particle in collisions in the giant instrument.
''We have reached a milestone in our understanding of nature,'' the director-general of CERN, Rolf Heuer, said.
''This is the physics version of the discovery of DNA,'' Sir Peter Knight, president of the Institute of Physics said.
More studies, however, will be needed to pin down the exact nature of the boson, which is the most massive ever seen, scientists said.
''This is indeed a new particle,'' Joe Incandela, spokesman for one of the discovery teams, said. ''The implications are very significant and it is precisely for this reason that we must be extremely diligent in all our studies and cross-checks.''
Full story at http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/in-that-other-big-hitup-science-finds-higgs-boson-20120704-21hs4.html#ixzz1zh4y3OgC
In a discovery that throws light on the very fabric of space and time, a new subatomic particle has been found that is very likely the long-sought Higgs boson.
Making one of the most anticipated and exciting announcements in modern science last night, two teams of researchers using the world's biggest atom smasher, the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland, announced they had observed the new particle in collisions in the giant instrument.
''We have reached a milestone in our understanding of nature,'' the director-general of CERN, Rolf Heuer, said.
''This is the physics version of the discovery of DNA,'' Sir Peter Knight, president of the Institute of Physics said.
More studies, however, will be needed to pin down the exact nature of the boson, which is the most massive ever seen, scientists said.
''This is indeed a new particle,'' Joe Incandela, spokesman for one of the discovery teams, said. ''The implications are very significant and it is precisely for this reason that we must be extremely diligent in all our studies and cross-checks.''
Full story at http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/in-that-other-big-hitup-science-finds-higgs-boson-20120704-21hs4.html#ixzz1zh4y3OgC
Origin of the universe revealed
'This goes beyond the origin of life. This is the origin of the universe.'
SCIENTISTS have taken a giant leap in their understanding of how the universe was formed, with a joint announcement in Geneva and Melbourne last night that a new particle has been discovered.
The discovery has significant implications, as physicists say it is consistent with the elusive Higgs boson, or ''God particle''.
'This goes beyond the origin of life. This is the origin of the universe.'
In what will prove a milestone in the history of modern science, the revelation ends almost five decades of searching for the subatomic particle.
The search included constructing - for almost $10 billion - the Large Hadron Collider 100 metres below the Swiss-French border to conduct experiments in conditions similar to those just seconds after the big bang.
Full story at http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/origin-of-the-universe-revealed-20120704-21ho4.html#ixzz1zh4knBIc
SCIENTISTS have taken a giant leap in their understanding of how the universe was formed, with a joint announcement in Geneva and Melbourne last night that a new particle has been discovered.
The discovery has significant implications, as physicists say it is consistent with the elusive Higgs boson, or ''God particle''.
'This goes beyond the origin of life. This is the origin of the universe.'
In what will prove a milestone in the history of modern science, the revelation ends almost five decades of searching for the subatomic particle.
The search included constructing - for almost $10 billion - the Large Hadron Collider 100 metres below the Swiss-French border to conduct experiments in conditions similar to those just seconds after the big bang.
Full story at http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/origin-of-the-universe-revealed-20120704-21ho4.html#ixzz1zh4knBIc
Stephen Hawking lauds 'God particle' scientist, loses $100 bet
RENOWNED British physicist Stephen Hawking says the Nobel Prize should be given to Peter Higgs, the man who gave his name to the elusive "God particle", which scientists now say is likely to exist.
Former Cambridge University professor Hawking also joked that the discovery had actually cost him $100 in a bet.
In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, said: "This is an important result and should earn Peter Higgs the Nobel Prize.
"But it is a pity in a way because the great advances in physics have come from experiments that gave results we didn't expect. For this reason I had a bet with Gordon Kane of Michigan University that the Higgs particle wouldn't be found. It seems I have just lost $100."
After half a century of research, physicists announced at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) Wednesday they had found a new sub-atomic particle consistent with the elusive Higgs boson, a theoretical particle that is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
Full story at http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/scientists-may-have-found-god-particle/story-fncynkc6-1226417165748
Former Cambridge University professor Hawking also joked that the discovery had actually cost him $100 in a bet.
In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, said: "This is an important result and should earn Peter Higgs the Nobel Prize.
"But it is a pity in a way because the great advances in physics have come from experiments that gave results we didn't expect. For this reason I had a bet with Gordon Kane of Michigan University that the Higgs particle wouldn't be found. It seems I have just lost $100."
After half a century of research, physicists announced at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) Wednesday they had found a new sub-atomic particle consistent with the elusive Higgs boson, a theoretical particle that is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
Full story at http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/scientists-may-have-found-god-particle/story-fncynkc6-1226417165748
CERN's new particle find hints at exotic physics
MELBOURNE: High energy physics experiments at CERN have both observed a new particle, consistent with Higgs boson, but with hints it might be something exotic, beyond the Standard Model of physics.
In a two-hour presentation, the spokespeople from two CERN experiments - the ATLAS detector and the CMS detector – presented their results to a packed auditorium at CERN, in Geneva, Switzerland, that was linked live with the 36th International Conference on High Energy Physics, being held in Melbourne, Australia.
Both experiments announced an observation of a new particle, in the mass range of 125-126 GeV, to thundering applause from both cities.
"It's the heaviest ever found"
“This is indeed a new particle. We know it must be a boson and it’s the heaviest ever found,” said Joe Incandela, the spokesman for the CMS (Compact Muon Spectrometer) experiment.
“We have a discovery. We have a discovery of a new particle,” concluded Rolf Heuer, the Director General of CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research). “[The new particle] is consistent with a Higgs boson … but which one?” he asks.
The physicists are not sure if it is the Higgs boson predicted by the Standard Model of physics, which describes all the fundamental particles of matter.
Full story at http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/5763/cern-%E2%80%9Cwe-have-a-discovery%E2%80%9D
In a two-hour presentation, the spokespeople from two CERN experiments - the ATLAS detector and the CMS detector – presented their results to a packed auditorium at CERN, in Geneva, Switzerland, that was linked live with the 36th International Conference on High Energy Physics, being held in Melbourne, Australia.
Both experiments announced an observation of a new particle, in the mass range of 125-126 GeV, to thundering applause from both cities.
"It's the heaviest ever found"
“This is indeed a new particle. We know it must be a boson and it’s the heaviest ever found,” said Joe Incandela, the spokesman for the CMS (Compact Muon Spectrometer) experiment.
“We have a discovery. We have a discovery of a new particle,” concluded Rolf Heuer, the Director General of CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research). “[The new particle] is consistent with a Higgs boson … but which one?” he asks.
The physicists are not sure if it is the Higgs boson predicted by the Standard Model of physics, which describes all the fundamental particles of matter.
Full story at http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/5763/cern-%E2%80%9Cwe-have-a-discovery%E2%80%9D
Melbourne drinks to the Higgs while CERN lunches
Tired red eyes soon gave way to rosy cheeks as physicists in Melbourne, Australia, drank champagne to celebrate the observation of the Higgs boson. Or at least a Higgs-like boson.
Until recently, the world thought the announcement would happen in Melbourne, as it played host to the International Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP) – the biggest conference in the particle physics calendar, occurring once every two years.
But if there are any egos bruised down here by CERN's decision to upstage ICHEP, they're not easy to find. If anything, people seem excited by the international nature of the announcement, which epitomises the nature of the experiments themselves.
Speaking over a glass of bubbly, Elizabetta Barberio, a physicist from the University of Melbourne who works on the ATLAS experiment, said the video link-up was very exciting.
"It looks like a rock concert with people queuing and clapping."
Full story at http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22015-melbourne-drinks-to-the-higgs-while-cern-lunches.html
Until recently, the world thought the announcement would happen in Melbourne, as it played host to the International Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP) – the biggest conference in the particle physics calendar, occurring once every two years.
But if there are any egos bruised down here by CERN's decision to upstage ICHEP, they're not easy to find. If anything, people seem excited by the international nature of the announcement, which epitomises the nature of the experiments themselves.
Speaking over a glass of bubbly, Elizabetta Barberio, a physicist from the University of Melbourne who works on the ATLAS experiment, said the video link-up was very exciting.
"It looks like a rock concert with people queuing and clapping."
Full story at http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22015-melbourne-drinks-to-the-higgs-while-cern-lunches.html
Higgs takes us closer to Mars: Dr Karl
Albert Einstein's theory of relativity helped create modern GPS technology.
JOHN O'Sullivan's 1970s mathematical breakthroughs led to the development of WiFi.
And an obscure-sounding discovery by particle physicists in Switzerland has taken us a step closer to that Mars weekender we've all been dreaming of.
So says National Living Treasure and all-round science guru Karl Kruszelnicki, after scientists at CERN in Geneva confirmed they had found a particle consistent with the so-called God particle, the Higgs boson, in experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The theoretical particle is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
Full story at http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/higgs-takes-us-closer-to-mars-dr-karl/story-e6frf7kf-1226417240053
JOHN O'Sullivan's 1970s mathematical breakthroughs led to the development of WiFi.
And an obscure-sounding discovery by particle physicists in Switzerland has taken us a step closer to that Mars weekender we've all been dreaming of.
So says National Living Treasure and all-round science guru Karl Kruszelnicki, after scientists at CERN in Geneva confirmed they had found a particle consistent with the so-called God particle, the Higgs boson, in experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The theoretical particle is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
Full story at http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/higgs-takes-us-closer-to-mars-dr-karl/story-e6frf7kf-1226417240053
Physicists find evidence of new subatomic particle
GENEVA (AP) — The head of the world's biggest atom smasher says they have discovered a new that is consistent with the long-sought Higgs boson known popularly as the "God particle," which is believed to give all matter in the universe size and shape
Rolf Heuer, director of the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, says "we have a discovery" of a new subatomic particle, a boson, that is "consistent with a Higgs boson."
Higgs boson's existence was predicted decades ago to help explain how the universe works.
He spoke after two independent teams at CERN said they have both "observed" a new particle.
But the teams stopped just shy of claiming outright discovery of the Higgs boson itself that is key to our understanding of why matter has mass, which combines with gravity to give an object weight.
Full story at: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-07-04/physicists-find-evidence-of-new-subatomic-particle
Rolf Heuer, director of the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, says "we have a discovery" of a new subatomic particle, a boson, that is "consistent with a Higgs boson."
Higgs boson's existence was predicted decades ago to help explain how the universe works.
He spoke after two independent teams at CERN said they have both "observed" a new particle.
But the teams stopped just shy of claiming outright discovery of the Higgs boson itself that is key to our understanding of why matter has mass, which combines with gravity to give an object weight.
Full story at: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-07-04/physicists-find-evidence-of-new-subatomic-particle
New Particle Found, Consistent With Higgs Boson
Physicists said they had discovered a new particle that is consistent with the Higgs boson, a long-sought particle crucial to scientists' current understanding of how the universe is built, although they will need additional data to pin it down with near absolute certainty.
Joe Incandela, leader of one of the teams, told scientists at the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, that the ...
Full story at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304141204577506093497519860.html
Joe Incandela, leader of one of the teams, told scientists at the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, that the ...
Full story at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304141204577506093497519860.html
Confirmed: CERN discovers new particle likely to be the Higgs boson
Two teams of scientists at CERN have confirmed the discovery of a new subatomic particle, which may well be the elusive Higgs boson, also known as “the God particle”.
"I can confirm that a particle has been discovered that is consistent with the Higgs boson theory," said John Womersley, chief executive of the UK's Science & Technology Facilities Council.
The result is still preliminary, but “it's very strong and very solid,” according to Joe Incandela, spokesman for one of the two teams hunting for the Higgs particle.
The CMS team is confident about its findings, which they say leave only a one in two million chance that the result they received could have happen if no Higgs boson existed.
Both teams put the mass of the new particle at around 125 gigaelectronvolts (GeV) – corresponding to the predicted mass of the Higgs boson.
Full story at: http://www.rt.com/news/cern-conference-higgs-boson-378/
"I can confirm that a particle has been discovered that is consistent with the Higgs boson theory," said John Womersley, chief executive of the UK's Science & Technology Facilities Council.
The result is still preliminary, but “it's very strong and very solid,” according to Joe Incandela, spokesman for one of the two teams hunting for the Higgs particle.
The CMS team is confident about its findings, which they say leave only a one in two million chance that the result they received could have happen if no Higgs boson existed.
Both teams put the mass of the new particle at around 125 gigaelectronvolts (GeV) – corresponding to the predicted mass of the Higgs boson.
Full story at: http://www.rt.com/news/cern-conference-higgs-boson-378/
Higgsteria over science's missing link in the universe
UPDATE: THE Higgs Boson, the tiny so-called God particle that makes the universe work, has been found by scientists after a 48-year, $10 billion hunt.
In the biggest breakthrough in physics for half a century, proof of the particle has just been presented to the cream of the world’s physicists in Melbourne.
The Holy Grail moment has been met with cheers and unbridled excitement about where the find could take physics.
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research, CERN, has released data to the two-yearly International Conference on High Energy Physics at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, confirming beyond any scientific doubt the particle exists.
"This is indeed a new particle. It must be a boson. It is the heaviest boson aver found," CERN scientist Joe Incandela said.
The particle was identified at a "5 sigma" level, the proof required to be considered a scientific fact.
Full story at: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/higgsteria-over-sciences-missing-link-in-the-universe/story-e6frf7kx-1226416788754
In the biggest breakthrough in physics for half a century, proof of the particle has just been presented to the cream of the world’s physicists in Melbourne.
The Holy Grail moment has been met with cheers and unbridled excitement about where the find could take physics.
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research, CERN, has released data to the two-yearly International Conference on High Energy Physics at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, confirming beyond any scientific doubt the particle exists.
"This is indeed a new particle. It must be a boson. It is the heaviest boson aver found," CERN scientist Joe Incandela said.
The particle was identified at a "5 sigma" level, the proof required to be considered a scientific fact.
Full story at: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/higgsteria-over-sciences-missing-link-in-the-universe/story-e6frf7kx-1226416788754
No certainty on God particle despite leak
Scientists poised to reveal the findings of an experiment searching for the so-called God particle are playing down a leaked video.
A leaked video which appears to confirm the existence of the so-called "God particle" was one of many prepared ahead of Wednesday's historic announcement, physicists say.
The results of experiments in Geneva set to settle the question of whether the theorised Higgs boson particle exists were due to be announced at 6pm (AEST) on Wednesday, but hours before schedule, media outlets began reporting a leaked video indicated the particle had been found.
Two heads of one of the experiment stations at the Large Hadron Collider, where the experiments are taking place, said videos for all outcomes of the experiment were prepared.
Full story at: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1665780/No-certainty-on-God-particle-despite-leak
A leaked video which appears to confirm the existence of the so-called "God particle" was one of many prepared ahead of Wednesday's historic announcement, physicists say.
The results of experiments in Geneva set to settle the question of whether the theorised Higgs boson particle exists were due to be announced at 6pm (AEST) on Wednesday, but hours before schedule, media outlets began reporting a leaked video indicated the particle had been found.
Two heads of one of the experiment stations at the Large Hadron Collider, where the experiments are taking place, said videos for all outcomes of the experiment were prepared.
Full story at: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1665780/No-certainty-on-God-particle-despite-leak
The God particle question to be answered
Scientists are expected to confirm the existence of the so-called God particle after video was leaked showing a spokesman from the experiment centre saying a new particle had been observed.
Joe Incandela, a spokesman for the European Organisation for Nuclear Research or CERN, says in the recording: "We have observed a new particle."
"We have quite strong evidence that there's something," Mr Incandela says.
Physicists from the experiment centre are playing down the video, saying it was one of many prepared ahead of the historic announcement on Wednesday.
At 6pm (AEST) on Wednesday, simultaneous announcements will be made in Melbourne and Geneva settling the question of whether the theorised Higgs boson - or "God particle" - does exist.
Full story at: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/8493945/no-certainty-on-god-particle-despite-leak
Joe Incandela, a spokesman for the European Organisation for Nuclear Research or CERN, says in the recording: "We have observed a new particle."
"We have quite strong evidence that there's something," Mr Incandela says.
Physicists from the experiment centre are playing down the video, saying it was one of many prepared ahead of the historic announcement on Wednesday.
At 6pm (AEST) on Wednesday, simultaneous announcements will be made in Melbourne and Geneva settling the question of whether the theorised Higgs boson - or "God particle" - does exist.
Full story at: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/technology/8493945/no-certainty-on-god-particle-despite-leak
Factbox: Search for the Higgs boson
Since 2008, scientists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) facility near Geneva have been hoping to prove or disprove the existence of the Higgs boson, a sub-atomic particle which is believed to confer mass.
Since 2008, scientists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) facility near Geneva have been hoping to prove or disprove the existence of the Higgs boson, a sub-atomic particle which is believed to confer mass.
Full story at: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1665770/Factbox:-Search-for-the-Higgs-boson
Since 2008, scientists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) facility near Geneva have been hoping to prove or disprove the existence of the Higgs boson, a sub-atomic particle which is believed to confer mass.
Full story at: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1665770/Factbox:-Search-for-the-Higgs-boson
What is the Higgs boson? [video]
European physicists will make an announcement on Wednesday on their latest findings in the quest to find the Higgs boson.
Find out what the theory behind the Higgs particle is and what role it is thought to play in the universe.
Watch the video and read the full story at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-04/what-is-the-higgs-boson/4108794
Find out what the theory behind the Higgs particle is and what role it is thought to play in the universe.
Watch the video and read the full story at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-04/what-is-the-higgs-boson/4108794
The Higgs particle - what it is and what it does
Scientists at the CERN research centre near Geneva, Switzerland, will this evening unveil the latest results in their search for the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle believed to be key to the formation of stars, planets and eventually life after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago.
What is the Higgs boson?
The Higgs is the last missing piece of the Standard Model, the theory that describes the basic building blocks of the universe. The other 11 particles predicted by the model have been found and finding the Higgs would validate the model. Ruling it out or finding something more exotic would force a rethink on how the universe is put together.
Scientists believe that in the first billionth of a second after the Big Bang, the universe was a gigantic soup of particles racing around at the speed of light without any mass to speak of. It was through their interaction with the Higgs field that they gained mass and eventually formed the universe.
The Higgs field is a theoretical and invisible energy field that pervades the whole cosmos. Some particles, like the photons that make up light, are not affected by it and therefore have no mass. Others are not so lucky and find it drags on them as porridge drags on a spoon.
Full story at: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/the-higgs-particle--what-it-is-and-what-it-does-20120704-21gk1.html#ixzz1zcr2iSNs
What is the Higgs boson?
The Higgs is the last missing piece of the Standard Model, the theory that describes the basic building blocks of the universe. The other 11 particles predicted by the model have been found and finding the Higgs would validate the model. Ruling it out or finding something more exotic would force a rethink on how the universe is put together.
Scientists believe that in the first billionth of a second after the Big Bang, the universe was a gigantic soup of particles racing around at the speed of light without any mass to speak of. It was through their interaction with the Higgs field that they gained mass and eventually formed the universe.
The Higgs field is a theoretical and invisible energy field that pervades the whole cosmos. Some particles, like the photons that make up light, are not affected by it and therefore have no mass. Others are not so lucky and find it drags on them as porridge drags on a spoon.
Full story at: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/the-higgs-particle--what-it-is-and-what-it-does-20120704-21gk1.html#ixzz1zcr2iSNs
Here's how the famous Higgs particle gives things mass
The infamous Higgs particle has a weighty task: It grants all the other elementary particles their mass. Without it, they — we — would zip around frantically at the speed of light, too foot-loose to form atoms. But how does the Higgs do it?
In lieu of equations, physicists tend to explain the process in terms of sports and syrup.
First, each of the elementary particles acquires its unique set of attributes by interacting with invisible entities called fields. Like football fields, these are large stages upon which individuals (be they electrons or running backs) dash this way and that, and occasionally bash together. But unlike football fields, the fields of physics are three-dimensional, and extend infinitely in all directions.
Full article at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48062124/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.T_O45eLSHkU
In lieu of equations, physicists tend to explain the process in terms of sports and syrup.
First, each of the elementary particles acquires its unique set of attributes by interacting with invisible entities called fields. Like football fields, these are large stages upon which individuals (be they electrons or running backs) dash this way and that, and occasionally bash together. But unlike football fields, the fields of physics are three-dimensional, and extend infinitely in all directions.
Full article at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48062124/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.T_O45eLSHkU
The Higgs boson made simple
So what's the Higgs boson, and why are people spending billions of dollars to find that god-danged subatomic particle? I've rounded up a variety of resources aimed at showing you why the hunt for the Higgs is a big deal.
First, a little context: The Higgs particle, and its associated field, were hypothesized back in the 1960s by British physicist Peter Higgs and others to fill a weird gap in the Standard Model, one of physics' most successful theories. The model as it stood had no mechanism to explain why some particles are massless (such as the photon, which is the quantum bit for light and other types of electromagnetic radiation), while other particles have varying degrees of mass (such as the W and Z bosons, which play a part in the weak nuclear force). By rights, all particles should be without mass and zipping around freely.
Full story at: http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/03/12547980-the-higgs-boson-made-simple
First, a little context: The Higgs particle, and its associated field, were hypothesized back in the 1960s by British physicist Peter Higgs and others to fill a weird gap in the Standard Model, one of physics' most successful theories. The model as it stood had no mechanism to explain why some particles are massless (such as the photon, which is the quantum bit for light and other types of electromagnetic radiation), while other particles have varying degrees of mass (such as the W and Z bosons, which play a part in the weak nuclear force). By rights, all particles should be without mass and zipping around freely.
Full story at: http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/03/12547980-the-higgs-boson-made-simple
The Big Reveal: Does the Higgs Boson Exist?
Sometime Wednesday, depending on word that comes out of a press conference in Geneva, the universe will cease to exist. All forms of matter — planets, stars, dogs, cars, you — will effectively dissolve. Mass will be no more; only energy will remain.
That's the bad possibility. The good possibility is that researchers working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) — the mammoth, $10 billion particle accelerator located 380 ft. (116 m) underground at the French-Swiss border — will announce that they've at last confirmed the existence of the long-sought Higgs boson, the particle that explains why all other subatomic particles have any mass at all.
Full story at: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2118750,00.html?iid=tsmodule
That's the bad possibility. The good possibility is that researchers working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) — the mammoth, $10 billion particle accelerator located 380 ft. (116 m) underground at the French-Swiss border — will announce that they've at last confirmed the existence of the long-sought Higgs boson, the particle that explains why all other subatomic particles have any mass at all.
Full story at: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2118750,00.html?iid=tsmodule
What is the Large Hadron Collider?
A SNAPSHOT of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), leading the quest to identify a sub-atomic particle known as the Higgs boson, which is believed to confer mass.
- The LHC comprises four huge labs interspersed around a ring-shaped tunnel near Geneva, 27 km long and up to 175 metres below ground.
- Beams of hydrogen protons are accelerated in opposite directions to more than 99.9999 per cent of the speed of light. Powerful superconducting magnets, chilled to a temperature colder than deep space, then "bend" the beams so that streams of particles collide within four large chambers.
- The smashups fleetingly generate temperatures 100,000 hotter than the Sun, replicating the conditions that prevailed just after the "Big Bang" that created the Universe 13.7 billion years ago.
Full story at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/what-is-the-large-hadron-collider/story-e6frg8y6-1226416612797
- The LHC comprises four huge labs interspersed around a ring-shaped tunnel near Geneva, 27 km long and up to 175 metres below ground.
- Beams of hydrogen protons are accelerated in opposite directions to more than 99.9999 per cent of the speed of light. Powerful superconducting magnets, chilled to a temperature colder than deep space, then "bend" the beams so that streams of particles collide within four large chambers.
- The smashups fleetingly generate temperatures 100,000 hotter than the Sun, replicating the conditions that prevailed just after the "Big Bang" that created the Universe 13.7 billion years ago.
Full story at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/what-is-the-large-hadron-collider/story-e6frg8y6-1226416612797
Evidence of 'God particle' found
Scientists believe the so-called God particle that might explain the underpinnings of the universe is real, and they are about to present their evidence to the world.
Physicists at the world's biggest atom smasher plan to announce tomorrow that they have nearly confirmed the primary plank of a theory that could shape the scientific understanding of all matter.
The announcement will be made at a physics conference in Australia.
Full story at: http://www.smh.com.au/world/science/evidence-of-god-particle-found-20120703-21eaz.html
Physicists at the world's biggest atom smasher plan to announce tomorrow that they have nearly confirmed the primary plank of a theory that could shape the scientific understanding of all matter.
The announcement will be made at a physics conference in Australia.
Full story at: http://www.smh.com.au/world/science/evidence-of-god-particle-found-20120703-21eaz.html
What finding the God particle would mean: 3 talking points
After billions of dollars of research and trillions of smashed atoms, scientists may finally offer proof on July 4 that the long-sought Higgs boson particle exists
... What does the Higgs' apparent discovery mean? Here, three talking points:
1. The origin of mass would finally be explained ...2. Our current understanding of physics would be confirmed ...
3. The $10 billion Large Hadron Collider would be validated ...
Full story at: http://theweek.com/article/index/230151/what-finding-the-god-particle-would-mean-3-talking-points
... What does the Higgs' apparent discovery mean? Here, three talking points:
1. The origin of mass would finally be explained ...2. Our current understanding of physics would be confirmed ...
3. The $10 billion Large Hadron Collider would be validated ...
Full story at: http://theweek.com/article/index/230151/what-finding-the-god-particle-would-mean-3-talking-points
Higgs Boson Explained: How 'God Particle' Gives Things Mass
The infamous Higgs particle has a weighty task: It grants all the other elementary particles their mass. Without it, they — we — would zip around frantically at the speed of light, too foot-loose to form atoms. But how does the Higgs do it?
In lieu of equations, physicists tend to explain the process in terms of sports and syrup.
First, each of the elementary particles acquires its unique set of attributes by interacting with invisible entities called fields. Like football fields, these are large stages upon which individuals (be they electrons or running backs) dash this way and that, and occasionally bash together. But unlike football fields, the fields of physics are three-dimensional, and extend infinitely in all directions.
Fully story at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/03/higgs-boson-explained-god-particle_n_1645732.html
In lieu of equations, physicists tend to explain the process in terms of sports and syrup.
First, each of the elementary particles acquires its unique set of attributes by interacting with invisible entities called fields. Like football fields, these are large stages upon which individuals (be they electrons or running backs) dash this way and that, and occasionally bash together. But unlike football fields, the fields of physics are three-dimensional, and extend infinitely in all directions.
Fully story at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/03/higgs-boson-explained-god-particle_n_1645732.html
Discovery of the century? Ask #HiggsRumors
IT'S hard to imagine a subatomic particle sufficiently sexy to hit the Twittersphere. But thanks to physics blogs and hot internet rumours emanating from Geneva, Switzerland, the elusive Higgs boson not only has its own hashtag, #HiggsRumors, it recently topped the list of trending Twitter topics.
The big news about the tiny particle is twofold. First, that it's been detected at the Large Hadron Collider at the European Organisation for Nuclear Reserch (CERN) near Geneva. Second, it will be announced today in Melbourne, host city for the 36th International Conference on High Energy Physics.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/discovery-of-the-century-ask-higgsrumors/story-e6frgcjx-1226414371629
The big news about the tiny particle is twofold. First, that it's been detected at the Large Hadron Collider at the European Organisation for Nuclear Reserch (CERN) near Geneva. Second, it will be announced today in Melbourne, host city for the 36th International Conference on High Energy Physics.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/discovery-of-the-century-ask-higgsrumors/story-e6frgcjx-1226414371629
Higgs hunt may stop short of naming “God particle”
Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider are likely to announce the most convincing evidence of the Higgs boson particle to-date at the CERN event on Wednesday, but not name it as such over an abundance of caution. Although official word isn’t expected to come until tomorrow, insiders involved in the research tell Nature that “in practice you would have to be monstrously sceptical not to be convinced by what we have now” with the evidence signal likely to be confirmed at between 4.5 and 5 sigma.
Full story at: http://www.slashgear.com/higgs-hunt-may-stop-short-of-naming-god-particle-03236930/
Full story at: http://www.slashgear.com/higgs-hunt-may-stop-short-of-naming-god-particle-03236930/
Birth of a boson: the Higgs has more than one daddy
Although Peter Higgs, namesake of the Higgs boson, proposed the particle in 1964 while at the University of Edinburgh, UK, several other researchersindependently published similar theories at about the same time. Ahead of a seminar at CERN tomorrow, where it is looking likely that a Higgs boson discovery will be announced, New Scientist speaks to two of these alternate Higgs fathers: François Englert, professor emeritus at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) in Belgium, and Tom Kibble, professor emeritus at Imperial College London.
Fully Story at: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22010-birth-of-a-boson-the-higgs-has-more-than-one-daddy.html
Fully Story at: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22010-birth-of-a-boson-the-higgs-has-more-than-one-daddy.html
Cern announcement: after 50 years, the Higgs hunt could be over
Tomorrow could see one of the most anticipated moments in the history of modern science. In a packed auditorium, scientists at Cern, the European nuclear research institute which operates the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), will reveal the latest findings in their hunt for the Higgs boson.
If they really have found the Higgs, as rumours suggest, this would be a triumph for physics – not merely by providing a finishing touch to the Standard Model, which is the dominant theory of how the universe works at the subatomic level, but by solving the long-standing mystery of why objects have mass, and why some have more than others.
Fully Story at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/large-hadron-collider/9371873/Cern-announcement-after-50-years-the-Higgs-hunt-could-be-over.html
If they really have found the Higgs, as rumours suggest, this would be a triumph for physics – not merely by providing a finishing touch to the Standard Model, which is the dominant theory of how the universe works at the subatomic level, but by solving the long-standing mystery of why objects have mass, and why some have more than others.
Fully Story at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/large-hadron-collider/9371873/Cern-announcement-after-50-years-the-Higgs-hunt-could-be-over.html
Scientists to reveal God particle findings
An experiment accused of jeopardising the future of the planet will reach its climax this week.
Scientists will on Wednesday reveal the findings of their investigation into the piece of sub-atomic matter dubbed the God particle.
There are three possible outcomes to the 30-year search for the Higgs boson, a theoretical particle that is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
The first outcome - they will prove its existence.
The rule book for how particles have mass operates under the assumption the Higgs boson exists.
The Higgs boson theory is a missing piece of the rule book, which would have to be rewritten or scrapped if scientists discover the particle doesn't exist.
The second outcome - they will find something previously unthought of.
Full story at http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/scientists-to-reveal-god-particle-findings-20120703-21dwz.html
Scientists will on Wednesday reveal the findings of their investigation into the piece of sub-atomic matter dubbed the God particle.
There are three possible outcomes to the 30-year search for the Higgs boson, a theoretical particle that is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
The first outcome - they will prove its existence.
The rule book for how particles have mass operates under the assumption the Higgs boson exists.
The Higgs boson theory is a missing piece of the rule book, which would have to be rewritten or scrapped if scientists discover the particle doesn't exist.
The second outcome - they will find something previously unthought of.
Full story at http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/scientists-to-reveal-god-particle-findings-20120703-21dwz.html
Best evidence yet found for "God particle:" U.S. physicists
(Reuters) - Physicists at a U.S. laboratory said on Monday they have come tantalizingly close to proving the existence of the elusive subatomic Higgs boson - often called the "God particle" because it may bring mass and order to the universe.
The announcement by the Fermi National Accelerator Lab outside Chicago came two days before physicists at CERN, the European particle accelerator near Geneva, are set to unveil their own findings in the Higgs hunt. CERN houses the world's most powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The Fermilab scientists found hints of the Higgs in the debris from trillions of collisions between beams of protons and anti-protons over 10 years at the lab's now-shuttered Tevatron accelerator.
But the evidence still fell short of the scientific threshold for proof of the discovery of the particle, they said, in that the same collision debris hinting at the existence of the Higgs could also come from other subatomic particles.
Full story at http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/02/us-usa-higgs-idINBRE8610RK20120702
The announcement by the Fermi National Accelerator Lab outside Chicago came two days before physicists at CERN, the European particle accelerator near Geneva, are set to unveil their own findings in the Higgs hunt. CERN houses the world's most powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The Fermilab scientists found hints of the Higgs in the debris from trillions of collisions between beams of protons and anti-protons over 10 years at the lab's now-shuttered Tevatron accelerator.
But the evidence still fell short of the scientific threshold for proof of the discovery of the particle, they said, in that the same collision debris hinting at the existence of the Higgs could also come from other subatomic particles.
Full story at http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/02/us-usa-higgs-idINBRE8610RK20120702
Higgs boson found? It's a definite maybe
Cern scientists seeking the 'God particle' will express their latest finding from the Large Hadron Collider in terms of a 'four-sigma confidence interval'. Does that mean they have found it then?
Cern is preparing to announce the latest result from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Photograph: Martial Trezzini/EPA
Scientists, particularly physicists, prefer to let their numbers do the talking. A fine demonstration of this will come on Wednesday when scientists working with the Large Hadron Collider at Cern are expected to announce to the world that they have finally found the elusive "God particle", or Higgs boson.
Except they can't say they have definitely found it. Rather, they will express their finding in what statisticians like to call the "confidence interval". Whereas mere humanities graduates might say it is "incredibly likely", "almost certain", "yeah, sort of very probable" that something has been discovered, the physicists at Cern will express it in terms of a "four-sigma confidence interval".
Full story at http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/shortcuts/2012/jul/02/higgs-boson-found-definite-maybe
Cern is preparing to announce the latest result from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Photograph: Martial Trezzini/EPA
Scientists, particularly physicists, prefer to let their numbers do the talking. A fine demonstration of this will come on Wednesday when scientists working with the Large Hadron Collider at Cern are expected to announce to the world that they have finally found the elusive "God particle", or Higgs boson.
Except they can't say they have definitely found it. Rather, they will express their finding in what statisticians like to call the "confidence interval". Whereas mere humanities graduates might say it is "incredibly likely", "almost certain", "yeah, sort of very probable" that something has been discovered, the physicists at Cern will express it in terms of a "four-sigma confidence interval".
Full story at http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/shortcuts/2012/jul/02/higgs-boson-found-definite-maybe
Higgs boson may soon be found
Expectations are running high for the upcoming International Conference for High Energy Physics (ICHEP 2012), to be held in Melbourne from 4-11 July 2012.
Top on the list: Have scientists found the elusive Higss boson – after decades of searching – or will they rule out its existence?
The answer will be revealed when the second major batch of data to emerge from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is presented at ICHEP 2012. Whatever the outcome, the data will have major ramifications for our understanding of the basic laws which governs the universe, explains Professor Geoff Taylor of the School of Physics at the University of Melbourne and director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics at the Tera-Scale (CoEPP).
Full story at http://sciencealert.com.au/news/20120207-23521.html
Top on the list: Have scientists found the elusive Higss boson – after decades of searching – or will they rule out its existence?
The answer will be revealed when the second major batch of data to emerge from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is presented at ICHEP 2012. Whatever the outcome, the data will have major ramifications for our understanding of the basic laws which governs the universe, explains Professor Geoff Taylor of the School of Physics at the University of Melbourne and director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics at the Tera-Scale (CoEPP).
Full story at http://sciencealert.com.au/news/20120207-23521.html
US sees stronger hints of Higgs
Hints of the Higgs boson detected last year by a US "atom smasher" have become even stronger, scientists have said.
The news comes amid fevered speculation about an announcement by researchers at the Large Hadron Collider on Wednesday.
Finding the particle would fill a glaring hole in the widely accepted theory of how the Universe works.
This 30-year hunt is reaching an end, with experts confident they will soon be able to make a definitive statement about the particle's existence.
Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteThe evidence is piling up... everything points in the direction that the Higgs is there”
Prof Stefan Soldner-RemboldUniversity of Manchester
The latest findings have come from analysis of data gathered by the US Tevatron particle accelerator, which was shut down at the end of last year.
Researchers squeezed the last information out of hundreds of trillions of collisions produced by the Tevatron - which was based at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Illinois - since March 2001.
Full story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18677808
The news comes amid fevered speculation about an announcement by researchers at the Large Hadron Collider on Wednesday.
Finding the particle would fill a glaring hole in the widely accepted theory of how the Universe works.
This 30-year hunt is reaching an end, with experts confident they will soon be able to make a definitive statement about the particle's existence.
Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteThe evidence is piling up... everything points in the direction that the Higgs is there”
Prof Stefan Soldner-RemboldUniversity of Manchester
The latest findings have come from analysis of data gathered by the US Tevatron particle accelerator, which was shut down at the end of last year.
Researchers squeezed the last information out of hundreds of trillions of collisions produced by the Tevatron - which was based at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Illinois - since March 2001.
Full story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18677808
HIGGS BOSON HUNT: 'WE'VE DISCOVERED SOMETHING'
After four years of high-energy particle demolition inside the detectors of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), are physicists on the verge of announcing one of the most significant discoveries of our time? If you've seen this morning's headlines, then you'd think the answer is a huge yes. But in typical quantum physics style, we'll have to wait a little longer for definitive proof for the elusive Higgs boson.
So why all the excitement?
On Wednesday (July 4), scientists heading two major experiments at the LHC plan to announce their most recent findings at a physics conference in Australia with accompanying meetings in Geneva, Switzerland. What's more, senior scientists at European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) are hinting that there is strong evidence in their data that suggests the Higgs boson exists.
For the last year or so there have been "hints" of a Higgs detection, then those hints turned into "potential evidence." Now, will we finally get word of a bona fide discovery?
"I agree that any reasonable outside observer would say, 'It looks like a discovery,'" CERN physicist John Ellis told The Associated Press. "We've discovered something which is consistent with being a Higgs."
Full story at http://news.discovery.com/space/higgs-boson-discovered-120702.html
So why all the excitement?
On Wednesday (July 4), scientists heading two major experiments at the LHC plan to announce their most recent findings at a physics conference in Australia with accompanying meetings in Geneva, Switzerland. What's more, senior scientists at European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) are hinting that there is strong evidence in their data that suggests the Higgs boson exists.
For the last year or so there have been "hints" of a Higgs detection, then those hints turned into "potential evidence." Now, will we finally get word of a bona fide discovery?
"I agree that any reasonable outside observer would say, 'It looks like a discovery,'" CERN physicist John Ellis told The Associated Press. "We've discovered something which is consistent with being a Higgs."
Full story at http://news.discovery.com/space/higgs-boson-discovered-120702.html
Physicists Inch Closer to Proof of Elusive Particle
Like Moses seeing the Promised Land but not being able to go there, Fermilab physicists said Monday that its Tevatron, now shuttered but once the world’s most powerful physics machine, had fallen just short of finding a long-hypothesized particle.
Known as the Higgs boson, it explains why things in the universe have mass, and is a cornerstone of modern physics despite never being seen.
The news from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory added more buzz and hype about the long-sought particle as physicists and many others are standing by for an announcement on Wednesday from CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, home of the Large Hadron Collider, which supplanted the Tevatron as the big horse in physics, and whose physicists might be on the verge of announcing that they have actually found the Higgs boson.
On Monday, Fermilab, in Batavia, Ill., said its results were the best “indication” so far that the legendary particle exists.
Full story at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/science/physicists-inch-closer-to-proof-that-higgs-boson-particle-exists.html?_r=1
Known as the Higgs boson, it explains why things in the universe have mass, and is a cornerstone of modern physics despite never being seen.
The news from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory added more buzz and hype about the long-sought particle as physicists and many others are standing by for an announcement on Wednesday from CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, home of the Large Hadron Collider, which supplanted the Tevatron as the big horse in physics, and whose physicists might be on the verge of announcing that they have actually found the Higgs boson.
On Monday, Fermilab, in Batavia, Ill., said its results were the best “indication” so far that the legendary particle exists.
Full story at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/science/physicists-inch-closer-to-proof-that-higgs-boson-particle-exists.html?_r=1
Have their eyes seen 'God particle'? Fermilab finds hints of Higgs boson
As physicists prepare to announce highly anticipated results concerning the elusive "God particle" on Wednesday, scientists in the U.S. announced Monday that they’ve found evidence for the existence of what’s known as the Higgs boson.
Researchers at the Fermilab Tevatron accelerator nearBatavia, Ill., have pulled together their final findings in the search for the elusive Higgs boson. Their announcement comes just two days before scientists using the powerfulLarge Hadron Collider at the European particle-physics center CERN plan to unveil highly anticipated results from their high-energy, proton-smashing experiments.
The Higgs boson is thought to give other elementary particles their mass. It is the only such particle predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics that has yet to be observed -- and it’s fundamental to our understanding of the universe, scientists said.
Full story at http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-fermilab-higgs-boson-hadron-collider-20120702,0,4043044.story
Researchers at the Fermilab Tevatron accelerator nearBatavia, Ill., have pulled together their final findings in the search for the elusive Higgs boson. Their announcement comes just two days before scientists using the powerfulLarge Hadron Collider at the European particle-physics center CERN plan to unveil highly anticipated results from their high-energy, proton-smashing experiments.
The Higgs boson is thought to give other elementary particles their mass. It is the only such particle predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics that has yet to be observed -- and it’s fundamental to our understanding of the universe, scientists said.
Full story at http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-fermilab-higgs-boson-hadron-collider-20120702,0,4043044.story
Higgs boson: US physicists find strongest evidence yet of 'god particle'
Physicists at the Fermi National Accelerator Lab in Illinois say they have come tantalisingly close to proving the existence of the elusive subatomicHiggs boson – dubbed the "god particle" because it brings mass and order to the universe.
But the debris from trillions of collisions between beams of protons and anti-protons over 10 years at Fermilab's now-shuttered Tevatron accelerator outside Chicago still fell short of the scientific threshold proving the discovery. The same collision debris hinting at the existence of the Higgs could also come from other subatomic particles.
On Wednesday, physicists at Cern, the European particle accelerator near Geneva, are scheduled to announce their own findings in the Higgs hunt. Cern houses the world's most powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Full story at http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jul/02/higgs-boson-evidence-god-particle
But the debris from trillions of collisions between beams of protons and anti-protons over 10 years at Fermilab's now-shuttered Tevatron accelerator outside Chicago still fell short of the scientific threshold proving the discovery. The same collision debris hinting at the existence of the Higgs could also come from other subatomic particles.
On Wednesday, physicists at Cern, the European particle accelerator near Geneva, are scheduled to announce their own findings in the Higgs hunt. Cern houses the world's most powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Full story at http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jul/02/higgs-boson-evidence-god-particle
Has God Particle finally been found? Scientists prepare to announce new results
Scientists from Cern will announce on Wednesday whether the tantalising "hints" of the Higgs Boson which they presented in December have been strengthened or grown weaker over the past six months.
Although the results may not be strong enough to declare an official discovery, they are rumoured to show very similar signals to those announced last year which back up the previous findings.
Independent experts said a replication of the same results would leave little doubt that the "hints" were genuine, indicating that the sought after particle, or something resembling it, exists.
Finding the Higgs Boson would provide the last piece of evidence for the Standard Model, the most widely accepted explanation of how the Universe works.
The particle, first proposed in theory by British physicist Peter Higgs in 1964, would prove the existence of the Higgs Field, an invisible force which gives particles their mass and prevents them from whizzing through the universe at the speed of light.
Full story at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9364832/Has-God-Particle-finally-been-found-Scientists-prepare-to-announce-new-results.html
Although the results may not be strong enough to declare an official discovery, they are rumoured to show very similar signals to those announced last year which back up the previous findings.
Independent experts said a replication of the same results would leave little doubt that the "hints" were genuine, indicating that the sought after particle, or something resembling it, exists.
Finding the Higgs Boson would provide the last piece of evidence for the Standard Model, the most widely accepted explanation of how the Universe works.
The particle, first proposed in theory by British physicist Peter Higgs in 1964, would prove the existence of the Higgs Field, an invisible force which gives particles their mass and prevents them from whizzing through the universe at the speed of light.
Full story at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9364832/Has-God-Particle-finally-been-found-Scientists-prepare-to-announce-new-results.html
Up and atom: seeking science's holy grail
IT HAS eluded scientists for almost five decades and given a Hollywood-style nickname to reflect its lofty status. But time may soon be up for the hard-to-nail Higgs boson - or ''God particle''.
Anticipation is high that, come Wednesday on the eve of a major international conference which will draw more than 800 physicists to Melbourne, one of science's greatest mysteries will be answered.
Described as the last ingredient of the standard model of particle physics, confirming the subatomic particle's existence has been top of the wish list because it is thought to explain why all particles have mass. Understand that and you take a leap forward in understanding how the universe formed and what matter is made of.
Full story at http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/up-and-atom-seeking-sciences-holy-grail-20120629-217xm.html#ixzz1zQ00zr44
Anticipation is high that, come Wednesday on the eve of a major international conference which will draw more than 800 physicists to Melbourne, one of science's greatest mysteries will be answered.
Described as the last ingredient of the standard model of particle physics, confirming the subatomic particle's existence has been top of the wish list because it is thought to explain why all particles have mass. Understand that and you take a leap forward in understanding how the universe formed and what matter is made of.
Full story at http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/up-and-atom-seeking-sciences-holy-grail-20120629-217xm.html#ixzz1zQ00zr44
From little things big things glow
Scientists are closer to understanding how the universe works, writes Deborah Smith.
To be or not to be? That is the question that is expected to be answered next week about the Higgs boson, an elusive subatomic particle that scientists have been hunting for almost 50 years.
Discovery of the fleeting particle would be one of the most significant scientific advances in a century.
The world's biggest atom smasher - the Large Hadron Collider - was built deep underground near Geneva with a main goal of searching for it. And on Wednesday night the latest results from two detectors in the giant instrument will be revealed at the start of the International Conference on High Energy Physics in Melbourne.
Full story at http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/from-little-things-big-things-glow-20120629-217ny.html#ixzz1zPztbZFN
To be or not to be? That is the question that is expected to be answered next week about the Higgs boson, an elusive subatomic particle that scientists have been hunting for almost 50 years.
Discovery of the fleeting particle would be one of the most significant scientific advances in a century.
The world's biggest atom smasher - the Large Hadron Collider - was built deep underground near Geneva with a main goal of searching for it. And on Wednesday night the latest results from two detectors in the giant instrument will be revealed at the start of the International Conference on High Energy Physics in Melbourne.
Full story at http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/from-little-things-big-things-glow-20120629-217ny.html#ixzz1zPztbZFN
CERN to give update on search for 'God-particle'
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research has said it may announce next month whether tests with its atom-smasher have found the elusive "God particle".
Known formally as the Higgs boson, the particle is the theoretical missing link in the standard model of physics and is believed to be what gives objects mass, though scientists have never been able to pin it down.
The organisation, known as CERN, said that at a July 4 Geneva conference it will "deliver the latest update in the search for the Higgs boson" it is carrying out with its atom-smasher, the Large Hadron Collider.
The timing of the announcement comes as scientists say they have detected a subatomic particle that sheds light on one of the basic forces of nature which determines the structure of matter.
Full story at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/cern-to-give-update-on-search-for-god-particle/story-e6frgcjx-1226407989622
Known formally as the Higgs boson, the particle is the theoretical missing link in the standard model of physics and is believed to be what gives objects mass, though scientists have never been able to pin it down.
The organisation, known as CERN, said that at a July 4 Geneva conference it will "deliver the latest update in the search for the Higgs boson" it is carrying out with its atom-smasher, the Large Hadron Collider.
The timing of the announcement comes as scientists say they have detected a subatomic particle that sheds light on one of the basic forces of nature which determines the structure of matter.
Full story at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/cern-to-give-update-on-search-for-god-particle/story-e6frgcjx-1226407989622
Boffins' boson bonus
MELBOURNE will be the accidental centre of the universe next week, ground zero for what could be the greatest announcement in physics for half a century.
More than 700 leading physicists are gathering for their biannual conference amid feverish speculation that the almost mythical sub-atomic particle that gives the universe its mass - the Higgs boson, or the so-called "God particle" - has been found.
Full story at http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/boffins-boson-bonus/story-e6frf7jo-1226409451980
More than 700 leading physicists are gathering for their biannual conference amid feverish speculation that the almost mythical sub-atomic particle that gives the universe its mass - the Higgs boson, or the so-called "God particle" - has been found.
Full story at http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/boffins-boson-bonus/story-e6frf7jo-1226409451980
Who gives a Higgs?
IN THE LEAD UP to the biggest physics conference of the year, ICHEP, rumours abound that physicists at CERN will announce their discovery of the Higgs Boson.
Looking for the Higgs Boson is no mean task. It has required no less than building the largest machine in the world. The 27-kilometre long Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a particle accelerator that straddles the border of Switzerland and France. To accelerate the beam of protons close to the speed of light, physicists use magnets that they have cooled as much as possible and, with an operating at a temperature of -271.3°C (1.9 K), the LHC is coldest place in the universe – even colder than deep space. Situated about 100m underground, the LHC is so sensitive that the beam operators have to constantly adjust it to account for the moving gravitational pull of the Moon.
When the LHC was first proposed, the engineers behind the machine didn’t know how they were going to build it – or even if they could. And, as recently as 2001, the IT experts at CERN didn’t know how they were going to store and distribute the deluge of data pouring from the detectors at about 15 petabyes (approximately 15 times the size of the entire Internet) per year. Getting to this point has taken decades of intense research by an army of 10,000 physicists, it’s cost billions of euros, and it’s used incomprehensible amounts of energy. Finding the Higgs Boson has been this generation's Apollo mission.
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/blog/5742/who-gives-a-higgs
Looking for the Higgs Boson is no mean task. It has required no less than building the largest machine in the world. The 27-kilometre long Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a particle accelerator that straddles the border of Switzerland and France. To accelerate the beam of protons close to the speed of light, physicists use magnets that they have cooled as much as possible and, with an operating at a temperature of -271.3°C (1.9 K), the LHC is coldest place in the universe – even colder than deep space. Situated about 100m underground, the LHC is so sensitive that the beam operators have to constantly adjust it to account for the moving gravitational pull of the Moon.
When the LHC was first proposed, the engineers behind the machine didn’t know how they were going to build it – or even if they could. And, as recently as 2001, the IT experts at CERN didn’t know how they were going to store and distribute the deluge of data pouring from the detectors at about 15 petabyes (approximately 15 times the size of the entire Internet) per year. Getting to this point has taken decades of intense research by an army of 10,000 physicists, it’s cost billions of euros, and it’s used incomprehensible amounts of energy. Finding the Higgs Boson has been this generation's Apollo mission.
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/blog/5742/who-gives-a-higgs
Higgs rumours: fun for you, dangerous for me
The next update on the ongoing Higgs hunt will be on the 4th July. In the meantime, no spoilers please. Seriously, it would be bad for science.
CERN have just announced that there will be a seminar on the 4th of July, at which an update on the search for the Higgs boson will be given. We've been collecting collisions for the last few months, up until last Monday, and hopefully we will manage to analyse them to look for signs of the Higgs (via at least a couple of the ways it might decay).
The rumour-mill has been running for a while, of course. The#higgsrumors hashtag (US spelling!) even trended on twitter for a while yesterday. All very entertaining for the neutrals, and I am pleased that we're not the only ones interested in and excited by our experiment.
Full story at http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/life-and-physics/2012/jun/23/higgs-boson-cern?CMP=twt_gu
CERN have just announced that there will be a seminar on the 4th of July, at which an update on the search for the Higgs boson will be given. We've been collecting collisions for the last few months, up until last Monday, and hopefully we will manage to analyse them to look for signs of the Higgs (via at least a couple of the ways it might decay).
The rumour-mill has been running for a while, of course. The#higgsrumors hashtag (US spelling!) even trended on twitter for a while yesterday. All very entertaining for the neutrals, and I am pleased that we're not the only ones interested in and excited by our experiment.
Full story at http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/life-and-physics/2012/jun/23/higgs-boson-cern?CMP=twt_gu
Physicists race to find elusive particle
Dr. Higgs, I presume?
A team of physicists gathered in a room at CERN on Friday to begin crunching new data from the Large Hadron Collider this year. And they will be at it all this week.
What they are seeing nobody knows.
Full story at http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/physicists-race-to-find-elusive-particle-20120620-20o22.html
A team of physicists gathered in a room at CERN on Friday to begin crunching new data from the Large Hadron Collider this year. And they will be at it all this week.
What they are seeing nobody knows.
Full story at http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/physicists-race-to-find-elusive-particle-20120620-20o22.html
Physics Community Afire With Rumours of Higgs Boson Discovery
One of the biggest debuts in the science world could happen in a matter of weeks: The Higgs boson may finally, really have been discovered.
Ever since tantalizing hints of the Higgs turned up in December at the Large Hadron Collider, scientists there have been busily analyzing the results of their energetic particle collisions to further refine their search.
“The bottom line though is now clear: There’s something there which looks like a Higgs is supposed to look,” wrote mathematician Peter Woit on his blog, Not Even Wrong. According to Woit, there are rumors of new data that would be the most compelling evidence yet for the long-sought Higgs.
Full story at http://m.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/06/latest-higgs-rumors/
Ever since tantalizing hints of the Higgs turned up in December at the Large Hadron Collider, scientists there have been busily analyzing the results of their energetic particle collisions to further refine their search.
“The bottom line though is now clear: There’s something there which looks like a Higgs is supposed to look,” wrote mathematician Peter Woit on his blog, Not Even Wrong. According to Woit, there are rumors of new data that would be the most compelling evidence yet for the long-sought Higgs.
Full story at http://m.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/06/latest-higgs-rumors/
It’s the End of the Standard Model (of Particle Physics) as We Know It?
And they’re off: An electron and a positron race east toward Stanford’s main campus along a two-mile course — the longest of its kind (and straightest) in the world — that from high above looks like a giant chalk-colored dam, only set deep in the ground between braces of trees that crosscut the Junipero Serra Freeway near Palo Alto, California.
At the line’s terminus, the particles shift apart, moving in opposite directions along a circular path, gradually arcing back toward each other in great sprinting loops, spinning faster and faster as they pass through devices that speed them up like busy hands turning a merry-go-round. And finally: a spectacular collision, as the particles smash into each other at speeds near that of light, spawning even more subatomic particles, sort of like a game of quantum billiards.
Full story at http://techland.time.com/2012/06/21/its-the-end-of-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-as-we-know-it/#ixzz1yU0sIEmG
At the line’s terminus, the particles shift apart, moving in opposite directions along a circular path, gradually arcing back toward each other in great sprinting loops, spinning faster and faster as they pass through devices that speed them up like busy hands turning a merry-go-round. And finally: a spectacular collision, as the particles smash into each other at speeds near that of light, spawning even more subatomic particles, sort of like a game of quantum billiards.
Full story at http://techland.time.com/2012/06/21/its-the-end-of-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics-as-we-know-it/#ixzz1yU0sIEmG
Beyond Higgs: on Supersymmetry (or lack thereof)
With the search for the Higgs boson, the last missing piece of the Standard Model of particle physics, apparently reaching its long-anticipated-and-finally-successful conclusion, anticipation of the next set of discoveries is growing.
Recently the Stanford campus hosted a smallish gathering celebrating the 60th birthday of Savas Dimopoulos, justly acclaimed by each of the attendees as the (or at least one of the few) most insightful particle physics model builders of the last 30 years. (And my PhD adviser.) Now you’d think that the leading topic of discussion at such an event would be the details of the ongoing Higgs search – has it or hasn’t it been discovered? Does the fact that the two relevant experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – ATLAS and CMS – both have a signal indicative of a new particle with the same mass? And what about the supportive analysis coming from Fermilab’s Tevatron?
Full story at http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/06/20/beyond-higgs-on-supersymmetry-or-lack-thereof/
Recently the Stanford campus hosted a smallish gathering celebrating the 60th birthday of Savas Dimopoulos, justly acclaimed by each of the attendees as the (or at least one of the few) most insightful particle physics model builders of the last 30 years. (And my PhD adviser.) Now you’d think that the leading topic of discussion at such an event would be the details of the ongoing Higgs search – has it or hasn’t it been discovered? Does the fact that the two relevant experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – ATLAS and CMS – both have a signal indicative of a new particle with the same mass? And what about the supportive analysis coming from Fermilab’s Tevatron?
Full story at http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/06/20/beyond-higgs-on-supersymmetry-or-lack-thereof/
Researchers' data are closing in on Higgs boson particle
Scientists at the world's largest atom smasher say they have reams of new data that will reveal with greater certainty whether they have already glimpsed a long-sought theoretical particle that could help explain the origins of the universe.
A spokesman for CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research near Geneva, told The Associated Press on Thursday that scientists will release the new data early next month at a physics conference in Australia.
Full story at http://phys.org/news/2012-06-higgs-boson-particle.html
A spokesman for CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research near Geneva, told The Associated Press on Thursday that scientists will release the new data early next month at a physics conference in Australia.
Full story at http://phys.org/news/2012-06-higgs-boson-particle.html
CERN calls for patience over speculation it 'is about to announce discovery of Higgs boson particle'
This may be smoke without a fire - or it could be we are about to get an announcement which will fundamentally change our knowledge of the universe.
The physics world has been set alight with a wildfire rumour that CERN will announce they have discovered the Higgs boson particle - that elusive 'God' particle which is believed to give all other particles their mass.
Even Twitter went crazy for the elusive particle, with #HiggsRumour at the top of the Top Trending lists on Wednesday.
Full story at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2162524/Higgs-boson-particle-Is-CERN-make-announcement-discovery.html#ixzz1yU1auwcM
The physics world has been set alight with a wildfire rumour that CERN will announce they have discovered the Higgs boson particle - that elusive 'God' particle which is believed to give all other particles their mass.
Even Twitter went crazy for the elusive particle, with #HiggsRumour at the top of the Top Trending lists on Wednesday.
Full story at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2162524/Higgs-boson-particle-Is-CERN-make-announcement-discovery.html#ixzz1yU1auwcM
Rumor has it: Higgs buzz sparks Twitter trend
Just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20, 2012, the elusive Higgs boson made science history: it topped the list of trending Twitter topics -- all because of a flurry of rumors that began on a handful of physics blogs, and quickly spread to media outlets.
It started when physics blogger Peter Woit of Not Even Wrong posted a short item:
Reliable rumors couldn’t wait, and they indicate that the experiments are seeing much the same thing as last year in this year’s new data: strong hints of a Higgs around 125 GeV. The main channel investigated is the gamma-gamma channel where they are each seeing about a 4 sigma signal.
Full story at http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/06/21/rumor-has-it-higgs-buzz-sparks-twitter-trend/#ixzz1yU1q1x6S
It started when physics blogger Peter Woit of Not Even Wrong posted a short item:
Reliable rumors couldn’t wait, and they indicate that the experiments are seeing much the same thing as last year in this year’s new data: strong hints of a Higgs around 125 GeV. The main channel investigated is the gamma-gamma channel where they are each seeing about a 4 sigma signal.
Full story at http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/06/21/rumor-has-it-higgs-buzz-sparks-twitter-trend/#ixzz1yU1q1x6S
Excitement builds over Higgs data
Excitement is building ahead of a conference to be held in Melbourne, Australia, in July where scientists are expected to present new findings in their search for the Higgs boson.
But a definitive statement on its existence will probably have to wait - at the very least until the Autumn.
Nevertheless, a 30-year search for this vital missing building block of the Universe is entering its endgame.
The Higgs is the most coveted prize in particle physics.
It is the cornerstone of the Standard Model - the most successful theory for describing how the Universe works - and explains why all other particles have mass.
Full story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18521327
But a definitive statement on its existence will probably have to wait - at the very least until the Autumn.
Nevertheless, a 30-year search for this vital missing building block of the Universe is entering its endgame.
The Higgs is the most coveted prize in particle physics.
It is the cornerstone of the Standard Model - the most successful theory for describing how the Universe works - and explains why all other particles have mass.
Full story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18521327
