Shoshana Davis / CBS News/ March 15, 2013, 2:16 PM
"God particle": Why the Higgs boson matters
Scientists said they've confirmed the discovery of a sub-atomic building block of the universe, the so-called "God Particle." / CERN/ATLAS Experiment
With all the information surrounding the official discovery of the Higgs boson, it can be difficult to appreciate how this innovation can impact the average person. However, to understand why the so-called "God particle" is so crucial, and why so many scientists are celebrating, you must understand where it came from.
The Higgs boson is often called "the God particle" because it's said to be what caused the "Big Bang" that created our universe many years ago. The nickname caught on so quickly (even though scientists and clergy alike do not care for it) partly because it's a great explanation of what it's supposed to do -- the Higgs boson is what joins everything and gives it matter.