Higgs-boson found, according to CERN

Norse GraphicsNorse Graphics Posts: 0
edited December 1969 in The Commons

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/120704-god-particle-higgs-boson-new-cern-science/

"We have a discovery," Heuer said at the seminar. "We have observed a new particle consistent with a Higgs boson."

At the meeting were four theorists who helped develop the Higgs theory in the 1960s, including Peter Higgs himself, who could be seen wiping away tears as the announcement was made.


Wow! This gives me an excuse to post a render I did back in December last year.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/norse_graphics/6515451567/in/photostream

Comments

  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 25,609
    edited December 1969

    I saw an article about it earlier today. Interesting stuff.

  • cridgitcridgit Posts: 1,757
    edited May 2022

    Redacted

    Post edited by cridgit on
  • GigabeatGigabeat Posts: 164
    edited July 2012

    Good news. I've been following it closely. Love the image. Very apt; the LHC is as elegant as a caveman smashing two rocks together. :)

    For those who want to catchup on science history I highly recommend "A short history of nearly every thing" by Bill Bryson. It's a very accessible layman's book.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Short_History_of_Nearly_Everything

    Currently I'm reading "The fabric of the cosmos" by Brian Greene. A bit more physics involved and he tries hard to make it accessible to the layman. I may buy another of his book, though maybe I should wait to see what he makes of the current Higgs Boson discovery.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Greene

    Post edited by Gigabeat on
  • Kendall SearsKendall Sears Posts: 2,995
    edited December 1969

    cridgit said:
    Norse: love the picture :-)

    Just to be pedantic though - the Higgs boson has not been "found". A new particle has been found which is very possibly the Higgs boson, but the particle could yet turn out to be something very different.


    Even more pedantic: Something at around the energy level the Higg's Boson is theorized to exist at has been observed.


    The boson itself is unlikely to ever be found, however the interaction between the boson and the Higgs Field (the field is the important part) is what scientists are looking to find. It is the Field that (theoretically) provides the impetus (or more correctly the hindrance) that subatomic energy needs to be able congeal into a mass.


    It is still quite early in the search.


    Kendall

  • GigabeatGigabeat Posts: 164
    edited July 2012

    cridgit said:
    Norse: love the picture :-)

    Just to be pedantic though - the Higgs boson has not been "found". A new particle has been found which is very possibly the Higgs boson, but the particle could yet turn out to be something very different.


    Even more pedantic: Something at around the energy level the Higg's Boson is theorized to exist at has been observed.


    The boson itself is unlikely to ever be found, however the interaction between the boson and the Higgs Field (the field is the important part) is what scientists are looking to find. It is the Field that (theoretically) provides the impetus (or more correctly the hindrance) that subatomic energy needs to be able congeal into a mass.


    It is still quite early in the search.


    Kendall

    Being further pedantic: There may even be 5 versions of the Higgs particle. So which one was discovered? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10313875


    One possible use of finding the Higgs particle could be science developing away to turn off the Higgs field and therefore making rocket payloads very light so less fuel is required to launch them into space. A holiday on Mars could be on the next agenda.:-)

    Post edited by Gigabeat on
  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 37,711
    edited December 1969

    Hoggs Bison? ;-P %-P

  • Norse GraphicsNorse Graphics Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    I don't think you can turn off the Higgs field. But I wonder if by increasing the density, you could create an impermeable field that doesn't allow energy to pass through (read: shield against asteroids etc.). That's the biggest problem with space-travel. Not delta-V.

  • Norse GraphicsNorse Graphics Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Hoggs Bison? ;-P %-P


    Higgs bosom... :lol:

    (very old joke)

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/higgs-boson-higgs-bosom_n_1644618.html
  • Kendall SearsKendall Sears Posts: 2,995
    edited December 1969

    I don't think you can turn off the Higgs field. But I wonder if by increasing the density, you could create an impermeable field that doesn't allow energy to pass through (read: shield against asteroids etc.). That's the biggest problem with space-travel. Not delta-V.


    Not quite. E=mc^2. This equation states that as one approaches the speed of light (c) the energy needed to accelerate (e) approaches infinity. In other words, as long as mass (m) exists one cannot reach, much less exceed "c". If we can harness the application of the Higgs Field then it is theoretically possible to convert matter to and from energy. Currently we can only convert destructively from matter to energy. If we can convert an object to energy and reduce its mass to 0 then it is theoretically possible to exceed "c".


    Kendall

  • Eva1Eva1 Posts: 1,249
    edited December 1969

    I don't think you can turn off the Higgs field. But I wonder if by increasing the density, you could create an impermeable field that doesn't allow energy to pass through (read: shield against asteroids etc.). That's the biggest problem with space-travel. Not delta-V.


    Not quite. E=mc^2. This equation states that as one approaches the speed of light (c) the energy needed to accelerate (e) approaches infinity. In other words, as long as mass (m) exists one cannot reach, much less exceed "c". If we can harness the application of the Higgs Field then it is theoretically possible to convert matter to and from energy. Currently we can only convert destructively from matter to energy. If we can convert an object to energy and reduce its mass to 0 then it is theoretically possible to exceed "c".


    Kendall

    Interesting times! If that theory eventually turns out to be a actually possible the implications would be amazing!

  • SpitSpit Posts: 2,342
    edited July 2012

    We have the Higgs boson for mass (so glad Higgs himself is still around to enjoy this discovery) and we have the photon (also a boson) for light, well all forms of electro-magnetic energy of which light is a subset. So next up is what? Gravity I presume. It also consists of a field mediated by a particle. No?

    Post edited by Spit on
  • Norse GraphicsNorse Graphics Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Maybe gravitational waves fluctuates through the Higgs' fields... (just a dumb comment from me).

  • Zev0Zev0 Posts: 7,039
    edited December 1969

    These dam scientist Fkers are gonna kill us all. Havent they played half life? Jeez.

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Zev0 said:
    These dam scientist Fkers are gonna kill us all. Havent they played half life? Jeez.
    At least they have not dropped a micro Black hole into the center of the earth yet. That we know of....
  • ManStanManStan Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Wonder what Sheldon thinks of this, or how it will effect "the big bang theory".

    Other then that I don't see how this will effect me in any way.

  • Norse GraphicsNorse Graphics Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Well, they haven't discovered the Unified theory yet, including gravity with the other forces of nature.

    And the answer to the question of the universe and everything in it is still 46 as far as I know...

  • Kendall SearsKendall Sears Posts: 2,995
    edited December 1969

    Well, they haven't discovered the Unified theory yet, including gravity with the other forces of nature.

    And the answer to the question of the universe and everything in it is still 46 as far as I know...

    In the words of "Thor" from Stargate SG-1... "That's GRAND Unified Theory." :-)


    Kendall

  • Norse GraphicsNorse Graphics Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Stand corrected. :lol:

    But I'm not a Kinsey!!

  • Kendall SearsKendall Sears Posts: 2,995
    edited December 1969

    Stand corrected. :lol:

    But I'm not a Kinsey!!


    :-) Approaching politics, gotta bail, GOTTA BAIL!


    Kendall

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 96,191
    edited December 1969

    And the answer to the question of the universe and everything in it is still 46 as far as I know...

    Alert! Trans-dimensional interloper detected on world alpha1276delta42!

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 37,711
    edited December 1969

    Well, they haven't discovered the Unified theory yet, including gravity with the other forces of nature.

    And the answer to the question of the universe and everything in it is still 46 as far as I know...

    no, it is 42
    all the things in the universe only exist while you are looking at them, the second you look away they cease to exist
  • LoaarLoaar Posts: 0
    edited July 2012

    The answer to life, the universe and everything was 42, not 46.


    Sorry, I know I'm being pedantic, but these things are important! :-)


    Edit: Wendy beat me too it lol. Thats what I get for opening a bunch of threads in new tabs and not refreshing before I post.

    Post edited by Loaar on
  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 25,609
    edited December 1969

    Well, they haven't discovered the Unified theory yet, including gravity with the other forces of nature.

    And the answer to the question of the universe and everything in it is still 46 as far as I know...

    no, it is 42
    all the things in the universe only exist while you are looking at them, the second you look away they cease to exist

    Nobody is looking at me right now. so do I not exist right now?

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 96,191
    edited December 1969

    Loaar said:
    The answer to life, the universe and everything was 42, not 46.


    Sorry, I know I'm being pedantic, but these things are important! :-)


    Edit: Wendy beat me too it lol. Thats what I get for opening a bunch of threads in new tabs and not refreshing before I post.

    Actually, I beat both of you - see my post before Wendy's (OK, so it's cryptic going on incomprehensible).

  • cridgitcridgit Posts: 1,757
    edited May 2022

    Redacted

    Post edited by cridgit on
  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,565
    edited December 1969

    Well, they haven't discovered the Unified theory yet, including gravity with the other forces of nature.

    And the answer to the question of the universe and everything in it is still 46 as far as I know...

    no, it is 42
    all the things in the universe only exist while you are looking at them, the second you look away they cease to exist

    Nobody is looking at me right now. so do I not exist right now?

    Did somebody say something?

  • Norse GraphicsNorse Graphics Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Ok, ok!! Jeez... :lol:

    I don't know where I got 46 from.

  • kyoto kidkyoto kid Posts: 40,514
    edited December 1969

    ...I actually worked on editing a "Black Paper" for a scientist (who had little writing savvy) relating to this topic twenty seven years ago.


    Been watching this with extreme interest.

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