[donovan]

So what does this all mean for evolution and science now?

[JesterEXW]

Originally Posted by SS32

It isn't a god particle and they need to kill that nickname.

The Higgs field slows down fundamental particles, imparting mass as they pass through it (think balls of varying sizes moving through water. Over simplistic idea, but it works). While the field itself cannot be directly observed, the Higgs boson, which is a force carrier, can (think of it like a water molecule in the balls/water idea) and confirming the Higgs boson exists confirms the existence of the Higgs field. Until now, we weren't certain just exactly where mass came from.

You know why they named it the "God Particle", right?

[JesterEXW]

Originally Posted by donovan

God particle is nothing more than science trying to justify itself over and over again...
It makes the scientist happy and Scientology.

It has nothing to do with god! It is called tue Higgs-Boson particle, the nickname arose because the particle is so "goddamn" hard to find. It is not linked to religion in any way. Please everyone stop assuming and for once on here, just once, please research a subject before posting.

[JesterEXW]

Originally Posted by donovan

So what does this all mean for evolution and science now?

Nothing at all for evolution, nothing really for science in general. It merely proves correct a theory that already had substantial backing. We have always assumed the particle was there due to the nature of the physical universe, now we simply know we were right. This isn't going to alter our understanding of physics in any drastic manner. The closest thing we've had to a paragon shift like that in recent times was when a group claimed to have discovered a neutrino traveling faster than the speed of light. It ended being false but had it happened it would have meant our assumptions about many things were incorrect.

[kevinbahnz]

Originally Posted by JesterEXW

You know why they named it the "God Particle", right?

these science guys have a sense of humor aye..

[SS32]

Originally Posted by JesterEXW

It has nothing to do with god! It is called tue Higgs-Boson particle, the nickname arose because the particle is so "goddamn" hard to find. It is not linked to religion in any way. Please everyone stop assuming and for once on here, just once, please research a subject before posting.

It has nothing to do with religion or poking fun at religion. The media picked up the name and ran with it because sensationalism sells and the public at large isn't well versed in what they're reading.

[Comet]

Originally Posted by yakev724

I'd try and explain to you what it is but I'd have a hard time. The youtube above does it pretty well without a post-undergraduate understanding.

Basically, the particles you've heard of (protons, neutrons, electrons that make up atoms, and maybe photons that make up radio, micro waves, and light) interact via other, even smaller particles. These interactions vary in nature (different forces act between different types of these smaller particles).

The theory behind all of these subatomic particles acting together to make up the components of atoms, and subsequently, matter that everything is made of (as well as the E+M waves which allow you to read this with your eyes), is called the Standard Model, which has been around and widely accepted for about 50 years.

Most of the subatomic particles which make up this model have been discovered decades ago. The sort of setups required to experimentally isolate them and record evidence for their existence were around back then. The more temperamental particles, including this Higgs Boson, required advanced experimental setups to detect.

These particle experiment labs take 10-20 years from design to operation and hundreds of millions to few billions of dollars to construct. They are only built about every 20 years somewhere in the world, and all the scientists working on an area which could benefit usually collaborate with that project since it gives them access to results not found anywhere else. Then they're phased out, typically after a few upgrades, after another 20 years as a new one begins operation.

Anyway, the LHC started operation 2 years ago, and was designed and built with experimental discovery of the Higgs Boson as one of the key goals. It's a huge circular particle collider 17 miles long, in a tunnel carved into the Alps. Pretty cool place.

I used to work on a mechanism of interaction between two other subatomic particles, neutrinos, with a pretty large experimental setup in Japan.

so would I be completely in the wrong to say that this is a first step in identifying anti-matter and a baby step in the manipulation of it?

I'm excited that they've confirmed it in either case. It just proves that we've been heading in the right direction and that is awesome alone!

[yakev724]

Originally Posted by Comet

so would I be completely in the wrong to say that this is a first step in identifying anti-matter and a baby step in the manipulation of it?

I'm excited that they've confirmed it in either case. It just proves that we've been heading in the right direction and that is awesome alone!

There's too little known about dark matter and antimatter (and the Higgs) to say that the Higgs is directly related, though it is very possible. It's definitely a step in the right direction, though, and I'm sure that over the next several years CERN will shift their attention and uncover some sort of info on the subject (which will likely factor in to the building of the next large-scale experiment). The experiments designed with finding the Higgs are also tasked with uncovering info on dark matter.

Their first priority, though, is to uncover as much info about the Higgs as possible--so far they've proven that it exists and little more.

LHC will shut down for 2 years at the end of the year for a beamline energy upgrade, so I think it will be a few years until we hear some interesting info about the Higgs or anything else.



Also, here's a graph showing Standard Model particle discovery dates, illustrating what I outlined in my previous post.

[SS32]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but do we not have a firm grasp on antimatter? I mean, we've been creating it for awhile now, containing it is another story. And dark matter/energy is another matter entirely (no pun intended).

[yakev724]

Originally Posted by SS32

Correct me if I'm wrong, but do we not have a firm grasp on antimatter? I mean, we've been creating it for awhile now, containing it is another story. And dark matter/energy is another matter entirely (no pun intended).

Antimatter's components (individual anti-particles) have been theorized and proven since early 1900s. Positrons are regularly used in particle experiments since they emerge from radioactive decay; my dad actually works with them pretty frequently in laser-based experiments.


Just the large-scale issues such as asymmetry (why there's minimal amounts of antimatter in the universe) aren't understood, I think. It's more of an astrophysics question and I don't know too much about it to be honest. Theorists are more concerned with answering these and experimental guys are just happy they have more unique particles to work with.

LHC, being uniquely powerful, can potentially uncover some info on these large-scale patterns and interactions.

It's also really difficult to obtain any significant amount to study, since it just reacts with any matter it comes into contact with. Don't know much about experiments along those lines, though.

[kevinbahnz]

Originally Posted by Comet

so would I be completely in the wrong to say that this is a first step in identifying anti-matter and a baby step in the manipulation of it?

I'm excited that they've confirmed it in either case. It just proves that we've been heading in the right direction and that is awesome alone!

That is exactly what's going to happen. I'm thinking teleportation and time travel.

[Bimmer Nerd]

Originally Posted by yakev724

Antimatter's components (individual anti-particles) have been theorized and proven since early 1900s. Positrons are regularly used in particle experiments since they emerge from radioactive decay; my dad actually works with them pretty frequently in laser-based experiments.


Just the large-scale issues such as asymmetry (why there's minimal amounts of antimatter in the universe) aren't understood, I think. It's more of an astrophysics question and I don't know too much about it to be honest. Theorists are more concerned with answering these and experimental guys are just happy they have more unique particles to work with.

LHC, being uniquely powerful, can potentially uncover some info on these large-scale patterns and interactions.

It's also really difficult to obtain any significant amount to study, since it just reacts with any matter it comes into contact with. Don't know much about experiments along those lines, though.

You sir, are a genius amongst men. I can honestly say that i enjoy reading your every post. Its just filled with so much information.

I aspire to be as smart as you one day.