[Phlap]

... a major discovery that will go a long ways toward helping them explain why the universe is the way it is.

To what end?

[Graing]

They 'think' that the Higgs Boson makes up a field that imparts mass. It does so by imparting inertia on the quarks that make up protons. The Higgs has no spin, unlike other elementary particles.

Now, I don't think they have observed the Higgs particle causing this or have measured its mass. I think they found a particle and it seems, initially, that it has no spin. I think there's a leap there because they are really trying to square up the Standard Model and explain where mass comes from.

Disclaimer : I am not a physicist, nor do I play one on T.V. I also did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[Dutchboy88]

"To what end?"

This is perhaps one of the best questions one could ask. In the case of men like Hawking, Hitchens, Dawkins, et al, it is so they can fall into the darkness satisfied they proved that their lives were meaningless.

For others, it underscores the truthfulness of Paul's remarks. He observes the persuasion God gave some, "...that what was seen was not made out of things which are visible." turns out to be the case. And, the discovery will strengthen that persuasion.

[Starstruck]

To what end?

Grants! Lots of grants!