Posted on 07/04/2012 7:20:50 AM PDT by James C. Bennett
GENEVA: Scientists at Europe's CERN research center have found a new subatomic particle, a basic building block of the universe, which appears to be the boson imagined and named half a century ago by theoretical physicist Peter Higgs.
"We have reached a milestone in our understanding of nature," CERN director general Rolf Heuer told a gathering of scientists and the world's media near Geneva on Wednesday.
"The discovery of a particle consistent with the Higgs boson opens the way to more detailed studies, requiring larger statistics, which will pin down the new particle's properties, and is likely to shed light on other mysteries of our universe."
Two independent studies of data produced by smashing proton particles together at CERN's Large Hadron Collider produced a convergent near-certainty on the existence of the new particle. It is unclear whether it is exactly the boson Higgs described.
But addressing scientists assembled in the CERN auditorium, Heuer posed them a question: "As a layman, I would say I think we have it. Would you agree?" A roar of applause said they did.
Higgs, now 83, from Edinburgh University was among six theorists who proposed the existence of a mechanism by which matter in the universe gained mass. Higgs himself argued that if there were an invisible field responsible for the process, it must be made up of particles. The particle is the emissary of the field and proves its existence.
He and others were at CERN to welcome news of what, to the embarrassment of many scientists, some commentators have labeled the "God particle" for its role in turning the Big Bang into a living universe: Clearly overwhelmed, his eyes welling up, Higgs told the symposium of fellow researchers: "It is an incredible thing that it has happened in my lifetime."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
“Particles,”of course being a somewhat misleading term.
Agreed. Humor = good.
Seems wise to enjoy yuk-yuk-yuk-away interactions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukawa_interaction) if they present themselves, especially in these difficult times, if only as a means of moral support & confidence distribution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_distribution)!
In the meantime hang in, keep the spirits up, and battle on in the cause of esprit de corps and conservative unitarity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarity_(physics)!
So, what did they carry it in, and where did they take it? I thought they were just trying to uncover it; seems premature to have already carted it away, as well.
Oh, come on. Just as real as a glimmer in an Angel’s eye. And I am religious.
where’d she get that shirt? I want...it.
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