Thursday, June 17, 2010
Unknown theories
One of the most amazing things in physics is the amount of different theories that arise. Each is just (well usually) as elegant as the previous and explains observational results.
As you might know, after a bumpy start the LHC began pumping out data for the first time a few months ago. One of the main goals of the research at the massive particle accelerator is to catch a glimpse of the elusive Higgs Boson. This (or I might have to say these) particle(s) is supposed to be responsible for the mass of every particle that has the privilege of having mass. The idea is that 'popular' particles will attract more of the Higgs and as such have a higher mass (if you have ever been to a physics talk on the subject, undoubtedly you would have seen the picture on the top right where a politician is being swarmed by a group of reporters and been slowed down on his way to the other side of the room -- to do whatever it is politicians do on the other side of the room). The current Standard Model of Physics is quite dependent on the Higgs and predicts that there is only one Higgs particle. The slightest change to the Higgs could mean revision of the model -- not that there is anything wrong with that just means...well.. we were wrong, but that would not be the first time.
Now before any results from CERN of finding something close to the 'God' particle, there have been a few indications of a slight change in the theory behind the Higgs. This started off with the Higgs possibly being lighter, which would make the detection more difficult. Now the idea has expanded to having five different Higgs particles -- now talk about creating particle out of thin air.
It is amazing theories that support our idea of the universe -- in this case the very structure of it -- can change so dramatically so quickly. As Fermi labs completes its final push to look for the mass giving particle, the LHC should start shedding some light on all of these theories -- and who know what other ones. Now to paint an obscene amount of walls.
-Mr. V
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"Imagination is more important than knowledge." ~Einstein
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