Higgs-Boson Found??

[robnissen]

http://www.slate.com/id/2167563/<br /><br />Some interesting quotes:<br /><br /><font color="yellow">A rumor flying around physics departments these last few weeks claims that physicists working at the Tevatron, an accelerator located outside of Chicago, have found something new. Originally passed by word of mouth and private e-mail, the rumor made it into the blogosphere May 28, with an anonymous comment on the blog of a particle physicist living in Venice, Italy. Since then, the rumor has spread. . . .<br /><br />The current rumor, which comes in time for the summer conference circuit, may be different. It claims an experiment at the Tevatron has found a peak twice as high as the previous rumors' bumps. And unlike the other rumors, this one includes details: the new particle's mass, for instance, which fits within theoretical bounds on the standard model Higgs. Some versions include a decay chain, which describes what the new particle turned into as the experiment progressed, and which may be consistent with the standard model's predictions. . . .<br /><br /></font><br /><br />Interesting times. <br /><br />Edit: Correct spelling in title

 

[MeteorWayne]

That would be a seismic shift in theoretical physics! Or an unshift <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br />Imagine a prediction confirmed <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />I guess we'll see over the next few weeks.<br />A story worth following. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[hansolo0]

What is this particle and what does it mean for science?

 

[yevaud]

Possibly they've seen the decay of a Higg's Boson back into it's component Top and Anti-Top Quarks. That would be a serious proof of the presence of a Higg's. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[robnissen]

Good overview in Wikipedia:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgs_Boson

 

[centsworth_II]

They would rather discover the world<br />of new physics that would open up if<br />the Higgs does not exist. (These are <br />probably younger scientists without<br />a lifetime of work to go down the tubes<br />if the standard model is thrown out.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

The CERN officially announced delay on LHC, postponing first operations to 2008. This re-opens the possibility that Fermilab is first to spot the HBoson. So this will add pressure on Fermilab teams to announce any bit of discovery.

 

[supernovae1a]

http://dorigo.wordpress.com/2007/06/05/the-higgs-rumor-spreads-again/<br /><br />Read Thomasso Dorigo's Blog on this - he's one of the leading particle physicists working with CERN on the Higg's search (previously with Fermilab) and has been one on the leading guys from the start along with John Conway of Fermilab (His blog 'Cosmic Variance' is also worth a look). You'll get the science from the bottom up with the essential geeky wit (or 'whit' (what?) as we say here in Scotland! ). <br /><br />Hope this helps.<br /><br />Trace