The presumed existence of the Higgs boson particle- or as it is known colloquially and much to the chagrin of proper scientists, the God particle- promises to bestow upon humanity a huge level up when it comes to understanding the origins of the very universe in which we live.

Particle physicists- the men and women who work tirelessly over the course of decades to make these small advances- developed theories that would eventually support the existence of the hypothetical elementary particle Higgs boson as early as 1962. (Which is kind of sad when you think of all the physicists from back then that would have been thrilled to pieces by how far the research has come but have obviously not lived to see it.) Long story short, Higgs boson is an essential building block in particle physics, and its confirmation would support some of what is known as the Standard Model- the basic building blocks of the visible universe.

Experiments to confirm the existence of the Higgs boson particle are currently being performed with CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, with the natural outgrowth of the discovery being super symmetry- or SUSY- something particle physicists believe is the next big thing in physics. Howard Baer is a Professor of High Energy Physics at the Oklahoma University Department of Physics and Astronomy, and he’s been looking for SUSY for 25 years. Baer explains:

“Finding the Higgs boson is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but the Higgs boson is only the tip of the iceberg of SUSY matter. With SUSY, we are talking about the next level of the laws of physics.  If there is SUSY, then we will find super partners, which will provide a new perspective for the origin and evolution of the universe.  At that point, we can say we are on the road to a much deeper comprehension of nature.”

Robert Cailliau, formerly of CERN, explained to Al Jazeera why the research needs to be so exhaustive:

“The particle can only be seen by its tracks, like footprints in the snow. If you see a single print that looks like it was made by the paw of a cat, you should consider that it could have been something else that made the print: a falling leaf, the wind, whatever … It’s only after seeing many prints of cat paws one after the other in related circumstances that you would be justified to say ‘there was a cat here.’”

Have you been following news about Higgs boson and the Large Hadron Collider? Do you think 2012 will bring a lot of new scientific breakthroughs?

Higgs Boson Research Might Unlock Mysteries of Particle Physics, Scientists Say is a post from: The Inquisitr

After two years of the Large Hadron Collider smashing particles together at just under the speed of light, researchers say they’ve discovered a brand new subatomic particle. It isn’t the Higgs boson (also known as the “God particle“) that the scientific community was hoping to find, but it’s nonetheless a victory for the program.

Chi_b (3P), as the new particle is called, is a new type of boson particle composed of a beauty quark and an antiquark. Professor Roger Jones, a researcher working on the ATLAS project, told the BBC that the Chi_b (3P) particle is a more excited version of Chi particles that the Large Hadron Collider has been observing for some time.

“The new particle is made up of a ‘beauty quark’ and a ‘beauty anti-quark’, which are then bound together,” Jones explained.

“People have thought this more excited state should exist for years but nobody has managed to see it until now. It’s also interesting for what it tells us about the forces that hold the quark and the anti-quark together – the strong nuclear force. And that’s the same force that holds, for instance, the atomic nucleus together with its protons and the neutrons.”

While the discovery of Chi_b (3P) isn’t going to lead into new scientific breakthroughs or anything, Jones says that the new particle will help scientists better understand how the universe works.

“The better we understand the strong force, the more we understand a large part of the data that we see, which is quite often the background to the more exciting things we are looking for, like the Higgs,” he said. “So, it’s helping put together that basic understanding that we have and need to do the new physics.”

Source: BBC

Large Hadron Collider discovers a brand new particle is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Higgs boson particle, first hypothesized in the 1960s, is said to be the missing piece of the ‘Big Bang’ theory which explains the universe’s existence and even creation.

Physicists from the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) announced Tuesday that they’d narrowed down the list of possible hiding spots for the Higgs, and say there are signs it is close to being located. Vivek Sharma, a physicist at the University of California, San Diego, and leader of the Higgs search, says:

“I think we are getting very close. We may be getting the first tantalizing hints, but it’s a whiff, it’s a smell, it’s not quite the whole thing.”

In recent days, rampant speculation has suggested the CERN team would announce the particle has been found. Tuesday’s declaration was not the definitive statement on the matter, however but scientists say the progress made is a significant and exciting step, physicists say. CERN physicist Fabiola Gianotti told reporters:

“It’s something really extraordinary and I think we can be all proud of this.”

The Higgs boson is thought to be tied to a field (known as ‘the Higgs field’) that gives all other particles their mass, therefore creating matter. After collecting two years of data, the particle can only exist in the range between 114.4 and 131 gigaelectronvolts (GeV). Outside that range, scientists say they are more than 95% confident the Higgs cannot exist.

God Particle Discovery Closer Than Ever, Say Scientists is a post from: The Inquisitr

Scientists at the  Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland may be ready to announce that they have caught a glimpse of the Higgs Boson Particle.  The Higgs Boson is more commonly referred to as the “God” Particle, because it is theorized that it is the particle which creates mass in objects.  Its discovery would prove the Standard Theory of physics and be able to explain the formation of the Universe.

The Large Hadron Collider was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) with the intention of testing various theories of high-energy physics and primarily for testing for the existence of the Higgs Boson. It was built in collaboration with over 10,000 scientists and engineers from more than 100 countries.  The Large Hadron Collider lies in a tunnel 17 miles in diameter at a depth of 574 feet beneath the borders of France and Switzerland, close to the Swiss capital of Geneva.

Scientists believe that they have the particle within their sights, but are just short of announcing a formal discovery. As reported in the BBC “Prof Stefan Soldner-Rembold, from the University of Manchester, called the quality of the LHC’s results exceptional”, adding: “Within one year we will probably know whether the Higgs particle exists, but it is likely not going to be a Christmas present.”

The Large Hadron Collider has been featured heavily among many different entertainment mediums, being featured on the hit TV show The Big Bang Theory and the subject of Antimatter production in the hit movie Angels and Demons.  There was a fear among internet bloggers prior to its opening that because it would be creating Black Holes within the tunnel that the Large Hadron Collider had the ability to destroy the world.

Do You Believe the Higgs Boson is real?

Higgs Boson May Have Been Glimpsed At Large Hadron Collider is a post from: The Inquisitr

Researchers at CERN have been using the Large Hadron Collider to search for the elusive Higgs boson particle, and scientists believe that the first glimpse of it may come as soon as next week.

“I think we are going to get the first glimpse,” Professor John Ellis, a former head of theoretical physics at Cern, told Newsnight science editor Susan Watts “The LHC experiments have already looked high and low for this missing piece.

“It could be that it weighs several hundred times the proton mass, but that seems very unlikely, then there’s a whole intermediate range where we know it cannot be, then there’s the low mass range where we actually expect it might be. There seem to be some hints emerging there… and that’s what we’re going to learn on Tuesday”.

The Large Hadron Collider was built primarily to find the Higgs boson particle, so naturally CERN, as well as the scientific community, is excited about the possibility of new information coming out next week. Scientists don’t expect definitive proof of the particle to come out, however, but they have hopes that CERN will come out with the strongest evidence of the particle’s existence to date.

The Higgs boson particle is thought to be responsible for giving mass to fundamental particles that make up the universe. It’s often referred to as the “God particle” by the media, but the particle isn’t quite so deserving of such a grandiose title – even if its existence were to be confirmed, it doesn’t explain everything as the title may suggest.

That’s not to diminish the importance of the Higgs boson particle though – its discovery would be a considerable leap forward in our knowledge of physics and the way the universe works.

via BBC News

Scientists expect first glimpse of Higgs boson particle next week is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ready to find the Higgs boson particle? A newly released Google Android app which provides live results from the Large Hadron Collider has debuted thanks to scientists at Oxford University and the application is 100% free to use.

The CERN approved application provides a live feed into what particles are being smashed at the moment and imagery is shown using computer-generated 3D models which allow users to see the particles from every angle.

According to Android Market statistics more than 10,000 people have already downloading the application.

Writing about the application Dr. Alan Barr wrote on the University of Oxford’s science blog:

“For ages I’d been thinking that with the amazing capabilities on modern smart phones we really ought to be able to make a really great app—something that would allow everybody to access the LHC data,” while adding, ”We’ve squeezed in a bunch of cool features. If you want to learn about the science of the LHC, then you can play with the animated tutorials. Then you can stream videos to your phone about the construction of the detector, and its operation.”

Users should be aware that not all data will be shown because the Large Hadron Collider uses several gigabytes of data every second.

According to PCMag:

One notable feature is called “Hunt the Higgs,” a game that sees the user try to find the Higgs boson, the so far never-seen particle that physicists predict will help explain how matter has mass (the LHC may find evidence of its existence in 2012). The game involves looking at slides of reactions and trying to discern which particles are present. It’s just a game, however—not actual research.

At this time the application is only available for Google Android based devices and programmers for the application have no plans to release an Apple iOS version.

Large Hadron Collider Debuts Google Android App, Says No Thanks To iOS is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fermilab’s Shuts Down Tevatron Atom Smasher After Decades Of Use is a post from: The Inquisitr

“We do not see the signal,” Dmitri Denisov, staff scientist at Fermilab, told FoxNews. “If it existed, we would see it. But when we look at our data, we basically see nothing.”

The Higgs boson has been nicknamed by some the “God Particle” because it is believed to be the fundamental particle of matter, the smallest piece of substance that gives all other matter weight.

For the last 20 years a number of prominent scientists have spared no expense in attempting to prove the God particle’s existence — going as far as constructing The Large Hadron Collider, a multi-billion dollar, 17-mile long particle accelerator in Geneva. To this date, none have succeeded.

Though disappointing, the results shouldn’t really come as a surprise, physicists say. The strange anomaly that led to the God Particle chatter was nothing like what physicists expected from the Higgs in the first place.

“I had known from the start. It could not be a Higgs, and it can’t be anything else either,” said Tommaso Dorigo, an experimental particle physicist who works with the LHC.

Regardless of the setback, scientists are still confident that by the end of 2012 we should have answer to the Shakespearean question for the Higgs boson, “To be, or not to be?”

via FoxNews.com

God Particle Hunt Comes Up Empty is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you don’t follow the physicist world, you might be a little confused by the title of this post. Basically it’s a big deal. Scientists using the Large Hadron Collider have managed to take high-energy physics to a hole new level in their hopes of reaching the Higgs Boson (God Particle).

To obtain that main goal two achievements were successfully completed, the LHC was able to sustain a 7 TeV particle beam and then the first proton collides were reached at such high energy levels which sets a world record, probably not the most exciting record you’ll find in the Guinness Book if you don’t understand what it all means.

ATLAS spokesperson Fabiola Gianotti released the following statement:

“With these record-shattering collision energies, the LHC experiments are propelled into a vast region to explore, and the hunt begins for dark matter, new forces, new dimensions and the Higgs boson. The fact that the experiments have published papers already on the basis of last year’s data bodes very well for this first physics run.”

CERN expects to find some useful information in the next few days after all of the data has been analyzed. On a happy note, still no black holes created by the device, so at least they have that going for them.

7 TeV Proton Collisions Achieved With Large Hadron Collider is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Large Hadron Collider is a billion dollar project that has been criticized by some doomsayers as the device that will eventually create a black hole and doom us all. Then again it can’t even stay powered on to accomplish that disaster. The Collider this morning suffered yet another power outage that also took down the colliders website for a short period of time.

According to LHC operators, the family was the result of an affected 18,000 volt power line this morning. Thankfully for researcher their large diesel powered backup generators were able to keep the units supercooled magnets from warming up and they were soon back in business.

The image on this page is the picture of a broken component which may have been part of the problem, although no official statement has been released in regards to the cause of the accident.

As SlashGear pointed out, it’s not the first issue the collider has faced, earlier a bird dropped a piece of bread on the device which caused some of its electronics to short-circuit. While other issues have left the collider unused for long periods of time as fixes were implemented.

The Collider in this case fortunately should be back up and running at full capacity by the end of the day.

Another Fail: Large Hadron Collider Once Again Loses Power is a post from: The Inquisitr

And yet, what is truth? Millions of people supporting the McCain-Palin ticket in the United States believe that the earth is 4000 years old and dinosaurs and men existed side-by-side. Sarah Palin advocates that this be taught in schools. There were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and direct links between Al Qaeda and Hussein, or so the US Government told the world. If you watch political commercials, you’d believe that Barack Obama teaches sex ed to 6 year olds, and is anti-immigration.

Who decides the truth?

Is not the very nature of the internet, a free platform for most, a conduit that allows the truth to shine when all around us is lies? Do not internet users in China find ways of bypassing the national firewall so they to can find the truth. Do not those of us in free countries benefit from receiving news that isn’t filtered and controlled by the corporate media elite? Is not this very freedom protection against wrongdoing?

Any attempt at grading internet content based on truth would be the start of a slippery slope towards global totalitarianism. We may not like everything on the internet, but as Robert Houghwout Jackson, US Supreme Court Judge and Chief United States prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials said: “The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish.”

Or consider John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859

We can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavoring to stifle is a false opinion; and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still.

As much as I’m sure Tim Berners-Lee has good intentions, in making such a proposal one can only presume that he has lost the plot. He may have created the world wide web, and for that he deserves a lifetime of praise, but the idea that his creation be rated based on rankings around truths needs to die quickly before repressive governments, and those that nearly are, use his words as an excuse to censor and filter the internet further.

Tim Berners-Lee has lost the plot is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cern has two live streams, one in Windows Media format, the other in Flash. At the time of writing the sites were being hammered with traffic, so it’s pot luck as to whether you’ll get on and get the stream playing.

There is also suppose to be a stream on EVO here, although you have to sign up to get access…which might mean you’ll have a better chance of getting on.

CMS is offering webcam coverage from the site, no live streams, but you will get the general picture here.

The event is getting a lot of coverage in the heritage media, although it’s not clear who will be running the stream live. Try Livestation for access for some channels, or websites directly.

Cern is on Twitter, and there’s an a live blogging effort from news.com.au of all places on Twitter here.

If you’re concerned about the LHC creating a black hole that will consume the planet, you can stay informed at hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com

If you’re interested in a layman’s explanation of what the LHC is trying to achieve, Wired has the best guide.

The first test is due to commence at around 5pm Australian Eastern, midnight PDT.

UPDATE: First test was a success, with the big show yet to come. Cern’s official stream didn’t like the traffic, but following this post, Livestation contacted Cern and are now an official streaming partner. Details here, and for the next round of tests, I’d recommend trying Livestation first.

Watch the Large Hadron Collider live online [end of the world?] is a post from: The Inquisitr