LHC: Higgs boson 'may have been glimpsed'

[TemperateSeaIsland]

The most coveted prize in particle physics - the Higgs boson - may have been glimpsed, say researchers reporting at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva.
The particle is purported to be the means by which everything in the Universe obtains its mass.
Scientists say that two experiments at the LHC see hints of the Higgs at the same mass, fuelling huge excitement.
But the LHC does not yet have enough data to claim a discovery.

BBC News - LHC: Higgs boson 'may have been glimpsed'

If this is really the Higgs boson where does physics go from here?

 

[Nabobalis]

BBC News - LHC: Higgs boson 'may have been glimpsed'

If this is really the Higgs boson where does physics from here?

Overall, super symmetry would be my guess. But from what I remember, you have other areas like parity violation in B mesons , top particle physics and the like - less speculator in their overall view but just as important.

 

[sandwiches]

BBC News - LHC: Higgs boson 'may have been glimpsed'

If this is really the Higgs boson where does physics go from here?

In before someone comes in complaining about the religion of the Higgs boson and how it's merely faith and blah blah blah without reading "But the LHC does not yet have enough data to claim a discovery."

 

[Nabobalis]

In before someone comes in complaining about the religion of the Higgs boson and how it's merely faith and blah blah blah without reading "But the LHC does not yet have enough data to claim a discovery."

It is encouraging that both detectors are seeing the spike at the same mass.

 

[Belk]

BBC News - LHC: Higgs boson 'may have been glimpsed'

If this is really the Higgs boson where does physics go from here?

Out to the nearest pub for a celebratory beer I should think.

 

[Cabal]

Out to the nearest pub for a celebratory beer I should think.

Geneva better watch out!

 

[jayem]

As I understand it, the Higgs being found where we think it is doesn't explain the mechanism of gravity. Physics will still need to work on that.

But identifying the Higgs will definitely win Peter Higgs and others the Nobel Prize.

 

[sandwiches]

As I understand it, the Higgs being found where we think it is doesn't explain the mechanism of gravity. Physics will still need to work on that.

But identifying the Higgs will definitely win Peter Higgs and others the Nobel Prize.

Am I the only who gets excited when we make new discoveries only find out that there are many more questions left to explore and discover behind it?

 

[Farinata]

Overall, super symmetry would be my guess. But from what I remember, you have other areas like parity violation in B mesons , top particle physics and the like - less speculator in their overall view but just as important.

Right. Wasn't it something like a Higgs mass of around 140 GeV wouldn't require any additional stabilization but a 126 GeV Higgs boson would? I think that's the key excitement here with the LHC announcement as there seem to be two possibilities:

1. The 2-3 sigma signal flattens out as the product of background fluctuations, the fundamental excitation of the Higgs field exists at a much higher mass (or we're wrong about it all together). Conclusion? The universe is more complicated and mysterious than we thought and we need to do more research.

2. The Higgs is identified somewhere in the 116-127 GeV range but such a mass value would require at least one more particle to exist for it to be stable in that range (super-symmetry maybe?). Conclusion? The universe is more complicated and mysterious than we thought and we need to do more research.

That's what particle physicists would call a win-win.

 

[pgp_protector]

Just an FYI Link to the CERN Press Release
CERN Press Release

ETA:
http://cms.web.cern.ch/news/cms-search-standard-model-higgs-boson-lhc-data-2010-and-2011

 

[Orogeny]

Am I the only who gets excited when we make new discoveries only find out that there are many more questions left to explore and discover behind it?

Absolutely not. Every scientist should feel this way. I feel this excitement on a near daily basis.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

It was in the bible all along. In fact, millions were, holding it together.

 

[TerranceL]

It was in the bible all along. In fact, millions were, holding it together.

 

[Naraoia]

I love how physicists are sooooo careful about 3-sigma results. In experimental biology, never mind social sciences, that'd be way beyond reasonable doubt

I was kinda hoping that they wouldn't find the Higgs, just to shake up theoretical physics I won't exactly complain if the little fellow is confirmed, though!

 

[Doveaman]

Am I the only who gets excited when we make new discoveries

Why is it that you lot were not this excited when neutrinos were observed to be traveling faster than the speed of light?

 

[Cabal]

Why is it that you lot were not this excited when neutrinos were observed to be traveling faster than the speed of light?

Because it wasn't certain that it was an actual discovery.

 

[TemperateSeaIsland]

Why is it that you lot were not this excited when neutrinos were observed to be traveling faster than the speed of light?

If it's shown to be true I'd be far more excited with this than the Higgs being found but I'm waiting for the results to be repeated by another team. Even the team who made the neutrino experiments suspect that the FTL result is the result of an error. If it is shown to happen by another group then I'll be very very excited and will probably do a little dance.

 

[Farinata]

If it's shown to be true I'd be far more excited with this than the Higgs being found but I'm waiting for the results to be repeated by another team. Even the team who made the neutrino experiments suspect that the FTL result is the result of an error. If it is shown to happen by another group then I'll be very very excited and will probably do a little dance.

TITCR. If FTL neutrinos exist, that would likely be a bigger result than the Higgs. To go even further, if it turns out that this actually fundamentally breaks SR instead of being accommodated in a weird way (imaginary mass or some such) it would be on the very short list of the most important experiments done in the history of science. Would be very exciting to see but I'm not holding my breath. MUCH more likely there's some weird systematic error hanging around that they haven't found. Even something like a small change in the index of refraction of their photomultiplier tubes could cause this result.