[aewart]

So, they've (probably) found the Higgs Boson...what does this mean, are there any tangible benefits from the discovery? I think it's a great scientific leap, just wondering what's next on the scientific search for the origins of our universe and science in general?


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[TheHistoryStudent]

(Original post by aewart)
So, they've (probably) found the Higgs Boson...what does this mean, are there any tangible benefits from the discovery? I think it's a great scientific leap, just wondering what's next on the scientific search for the origins of our universe and science in general?


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

Yeah, apparently they have discovered a new particle which is consistent with HB - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/.

While I'm nowhere near an expert on the matter myself, I'm sure some of the more enlightened members of TSR will be able to have a go at telling you the ramifications of the discovery. If I remember rightly from previous threads on the subject though - the discovery merely confirms what we currently know to be true physics-wise, and the search for the Higgs was just part of the process to confirm that. Of course I may be wrong .

I think another question now though, is that now that they've found it, what are they going to do with CERN? - is there going to be another big scientific project, or are they just going to use it for more conventional experiments.

[Aphotic Cosmos]

From my understanding of this, now that we understand what gives matter mass, we will soon be able to develop mass effect fields. D erp derp de derp.

[I got pooled!!!!]

Summing up the questions above;

The fact that they discovered it dosent really mean much (if anything) in terms of tangible benefits, however what it does do is confirms that the standard model is (most likely) correct and from this they can have a better idea of how to develop the standard model so as to incorporate gravity (the biggest challenge in physics at the moment), and this means a lot in terms of physics/ science.

In terms of cern, what they will prob do is spend a year or two repeating the experiment and getting more accurate readings and so on, confirming things to do with the higgs and identifying the characteristics of the higgs. After that I do not know but I would be surprised if there was not a big appeal to use it to search for dark matter and try and identify what dark matter is.

But i this is just what i think.

[AntisthenesDogger]

Nothing right now. They will continue probably experimentation.

Though for it's actual meaning it would mean we will have a fundamental understanding of what gives matter mass.

[Dennerers]

If we get control of these 'god particles' is it likely we can make something from literally nothing? I haven't read too far into this just what sky have reported but, from what I inferred, this seems to have been the conclusion.

[Hypocrism]

I won't believe it until I've seen the actual data. There have been scientific fads before in the media, and I will not fall for this one. Although, I would like it to be true!

[TheJ0ker]

(Original post by Dennerers)
If we get control of these 'god particles' is it likely we can make something from literally nothing? I haven't read too far into this just what sky have reported but, from what I inferred, this seems to have been the conclusion.

No, if theoretically we could control them, we could change mass into energy and vice versa but you can't create something out of nothing.

[zaliack]

Finally! I've been waiting for someone to actually explain what it means. If you read the news, they just say it's a "god particle", if you read Brian Cox's twitters, he talks all in scientific mumble jumo, not making any sense.

[Pitt1988]

It's preliminary tests that reveal that the particle is consistent with higgs boson, it could be another faster-than-light neutrino mix up again, but they are fairly sure it is not.

There are no real applications for it yet, we're not going to be seeing hover boards by Christmas, but it will eventual lead to the understanding of what gives matter mass and therefore gravity.

Hopefully, though, they will be able to apply this knowledge in the future to be able to understand the other 96% of they universe that isn't matter, sadly I doubt in our lifetime.

[Basil Brush]

(Original post by TheJ0ker)
No, if theoretically we could control them, we could change mass into energy and vice versa but you can't create something out of nothing.

But don't we already do that in nuclear fission?

[Killuminati1989]

The Higgs Boson walks into a church

The priest says "What are u doing here"

Higgs Boson says "U cant have mass without me"

hahahahahahahaha

[TheJ0ker]

(Original post by Basil Brush)
But don't we already do that in nuclear fission?

Yeah I suppose if you are talking about the mass defect of a nucleus, but it's not very efficient, this probably will never happen but if we controlled the higgs boson we could change say 1kg of matter completely into energy. This would release 9x10^16 J of energy and it wouldn't have to be radioactive matter either it could just be 1 kg of water...

Again it's probably just fanciful thinking.

[iSoftie]

(Original post by Aphotic Cosmos)
From my understanding of this, now that we understand what gives matter mass, we will soon be able to develop mass effect fields. D erp derp de derp.

**** ME!

O.O

So when will I have the chance to see the Turians or better yet Reapers?!?!!?!!!

[Picture~Perfect]

I'm not sure if there are any real applications yet or if physicists know where it will take us but surely any discovery that helps to develop our understanding is beneficial

[carcinoma]

(Original post by Hypocrism)
I won't believe it until I've seen the actual data. There have been scientific fads before in the media, and I will not fall for this one. Although, I would like it to be true!

4.9 sigma is pretty solid. It is very unlikely to be wrong. They discovered it in the mass (energy) range where higgs was predicted to lie.

Whether or not the particle discovered actually matches the predicted characteristics is for another day.

[Dennerers]

(Original post by TheJ0ker)
No, if theoretically we could control them, we could change mass into energy and vice versa but you can't create something out of nothing.

So like a untaped energy source?

[Julii92]

As far as I can tell, what's really exciting scientists is the possibility that this isn't the Higgs Boson. If that's the case, then the door has been opened to a whole new realm of physics(rather than confirming something already suspected, in a manner of speaking).

[robo donkey]

(Original post by Julii92)
As far as I can tell, what's really exciting scientists is the possibility that this isn't the Higgs Boson. If that's the case, then the door has been opened to a whole new realm of physics(rather than confirming something already suspected, in a manner of speaking).

That is a pretty interesting thing actually, I've not thought about that at all, wonder what else it could be. At the moment I'm sure they're just going to experiment on the new particle essentially to see if it fits in to what they've already said what they think it'll do, testing hypotheses and so on. It's a ridiculously exciting time to be involved in physics I imagine

[Julii92]

(Original post by robo donkey)
That is a pretty interesting thing actually, I've not thought about that at all, wonder what else it could be. At the moment I'm sure they're just going to experiment on the new particle essentially to see if it fits in to what they've already said what they think it'll do, testing hypotheses and so on.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/20...very-real-work

" Much is riding on what Cern finds, or fails to find. Some physicists fear the laboratory might discover only the simplest form of Higgs particle and nothing more exotic. That would plug a hole in the Standard Model, but give scientists no leads to help them understand other pressing mysteries in nature. What is the invisible dark matter that clings to galaxies and makes up a quarter of the mass of the cosmos? What is dark energy, thought to drive the expansion of the universe? Why are we made of matter instead of antimatter? Why is gravity so weak? The Standard Model has nothing to say on these questions. Physicists have no answers.

"I had a nightmare which is that Cern would discover the Higgs boson and then nothing else. Discovering the Higgs particle, gratifying as it is, does not provide a clue to how to go beyond the Standard Model," says Weinberg. Despite intense efforts, the Large Hadron Collider has not found anything unexpected so far. "I find it a very depressing prospect, the possibility that this may be the last great discovery for many decades," Weinberg added. "

(Original post by robo donkey)
It's a ridiculously exciting time to be involved in physics I imagine

Sure is! Those faster than light neutrinos weren't too long ago either. I wonder if we'll hear about them again.