GENEVA (AP) - The father of a theoretical subatomic particle dubbed "the God particle" says he's almost sure it will be confirmed in the next year in a race between powerful research equipment in the United States and Europe.
British physicist Peter Higgs, who more than 40 years ago postulated the existence of the particle in the makeup of the atom, said is visit to a new accelerator in Geneva last weekend encouraged him that the Higgs boson will soon be seen.
The $2 billion Large Hadron Collider, under construction since 2003, is expected to start operating by June at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (known as CERN).
It likely will take several months before the hundreds of scientists from around the world are ready to start smashing together protons to study their composition.
Higgs said Monday the particle may already have been created at the rival Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory outside Chicago, where the Tevatron is currently the world's most powerful particle accelerator.
"The Tevatron has plenty of energy to do it," Higgs said. "It's just the difficulty of analyzing the data which prevents you from knowing quickly what's hiding in the data."
The massive new CERN collider, which has been installed in a 17-mile circular tunnel under the Swiss-French border, will be more powerful still and will be better able to show what particles are created in the collisions of beams of protons traveling at the speed of light.
The new Geneva collider will re-create the rapidly changing conditions in the universe a split second after the Big Bang. It will be the closest that scientists have come to the event that they theorize was the beginning of the universe. They hope the new equipment will enable them to study particles and forces yet unobserved.
But Fermilab still has time to be first if it can show that it has discovered the Higgs boson, Higgs said.
Nobel laureate Leon Lederman has dubbed the theoretical boson "the God particle" because its discovery could unify understanding of particle physics and help humans "know the mind of God."
Higgs told reporters he is hoping to receive confirmation of his theory by the time he turns 80 in May 2009.
If not, he added, "I'll just have to ask my GP to keep me alive a bit longer," referring to his general practitioner, not the God particle, a term he does not embrace because he fears it might offend some people.
Higgs predicted the existence of the boson while working at the University of Edinburgh to explain how atoms — and the objects they make up — have weight.
Without the particle, the basic physics theory — the "standard model" — lacks a crucial element, because it fails to explain how other subatomic particles — such as quarks and electrons — have mass.
The Higgs theory is that the bosons create a field through which the other particles pass.
The particles that encounter difficulty going through the field as though they are passing through molasses pick up more inertia, and mass. Those that pass through more easily are lighter.
Higgs said he would be "very, very puzzled" if the particle is never found because he cannot image what else could explain how particles get mass.
Higgs said initial reaction to his ideas in the early 1960s was skeptical.
"My colleagues thought I was a bit of an idiot," he said, noting that his initial paper explaining how his theory worked was rejected by an editor at CERN.
He said a colleague spent the summer at CERN right after he did his work on the theory.
"He came back and said, 'At CERN they didn't see that what you were talking about had much to do with particle physics.'
"I then added on some additional paragraphs and sent it off across the Atlantic to Physical Review Letters, who accepted it. The mention of what became known as the Higgs boson was part of the extra which was added on."
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Well I notice that Higgs who postulated the Boson as a theoretical means of resolving a problem in Physics did not himself label this theoretical particle the God Particle. In reviewing the literature on Lederman's use of this phrase it is clear that it was used for effect rather than for any serious theological purpose.
Further there is no reason to believe that this particle in any way could prove or disprove the existence or lack of existence of god or of the pseudo science of ID. For those who believe in a creator no proof is needed. For those who do not no evidence from the natural world or science will be sufficient. Therefore to engage in debate over the existence of god or of ID based on natural evidence or scientific "proof" is an enormous waste of time. From a scientific point of view a much better use of time would be doing actual science as Higgs and those working on subatomic particle research are doing. From a Christian point of veiw a much better use of time would be in following the command of Christ in keeping his commandments and spreading the good news of redemption through faith demonstrated through works. The way to do this is not through senseless argument but through living ones life in keeping with Christ's teachings. Despite all my searching of the gospels I find not one comment of Christ on these topics rather I find deep teaching on how we are to live our lives in relation to others.
Atheism is not a science.
Darwinism is scientific. evolution is universally accepted by all scientists. there is overwhelming evidence in support of evolution, but it does not discredit the bible in any way.
the "god particle" doesnt have anythin to do with God and it couldnt possibly prove intelligent design or creationism because neither of these is a science.
and wacha got agenst miths?
DARWINISM and ATHEISM both UNSCIENTIFIC & MYTHICAL
http://www.evolutionfacts.blogspot.com
Jesusis1, I would say in the same place, more or less. True we outed Saddam, however their country is hardly more stable in all aspects considered. I think his main point is, 2 billion dollars really isn't a lot of money when one compares it to the over 600 billion we've already spent on Iraq part deux and for what it's worth it will end up being closer to 2-3 trillion when everything is considered and said and done.
canadianchristian posted What a collossal waste of money that could ease the suffering and hunger of so many!
Actually if Americans were really concerned about suffering and hunger, they would not have gotten themselves saddled with the immoral Iraq invasion which is wasting 12 billion dollars per month of US tax payer dollars and the cost will continue to grow into the trillions of dollars as time goes on. America is paying a very heavy price to protect their Middle East oil interests.
canadianchristian posted: If humans want to know the mind of GOD they should pick up a bible and start there.
I would recommend the Qur'an. Allahu Akbar.
canadianchristian,
well i agree, but only slightly. We should never stop to provide aid to all those whom need it most. However, on cannot ignore the moral imperatives of other issues that we can directly affect in the here and now and more easer in the long term via our research in science. IE, if we in the 18th century avoided the research in germs and sanitation and instead only focused on dumping $$ and resources onto people we wouldn't have put our selves in a better place to be more apt ot help others in such dire times.
much of africa and the rest of the 3rd world is the way it is b/c of their lacking access to education the stemming affects from it.
Simply dumping $$ isn't the solution, we need to make strides to improve their educational foundation so they themselves can produce the goods and serivces to provide the jobs and wealth to dictate their own status. This along with aid is how we should seek to help them in t he long term. we can either give them a fish, or teach them how to fish for their own betterment.
agentorangeex,
Tell starving people in Africa and other places that 2 billion dollars is not much !! Look their children in the eye and tell them science is more important than putting food in their belly. How about we "discover" how we can help people simply survive, western culture's priorities are all backwards, CHRIST said to think of others before ourselves. This research in no way helps the people who need it the most !!! The world works best when we can live for others and not be so selfish. IN JESUS NAME
ummm....how is identifying single Quarks (particles) a 'god particle' exactly...I don't get it.
Canadian Christian, we have outreach programs for helping the needy, and 2 billion dollars as funded from european tax payers isn't even that much money per person, and yet CERN will be able to further our knowledge of this world and how it works at the most smallest levels. the bible and other holly books tell us how to go to heaven and not how the heavens go, to learn about how they go we opt for science to discover such processes.
If one thinks about Intelligent Design (ID) and its worthiness within both the theological and scientific community, this theoretical subatomic particle could be the type of evidence that ID would acknowledge as being avidence of an Intelligent Designer.
http://summathetes.blogspot.com
It seems like the focal interest in writing this article was that a prominent scientist incorrectly dubbed a theoretical component of the universe ‘The God Particle’. I would actually regard this research as a matter of discovering yet another layer of wondrous complexity between us and the Glory of God’s creation.
Canadianchristian,
While I agree with you for the most part about diverting the resources that God left to us in stewardship away from the places where they are most needed, keep in mind that He may yet have a plan for using us to bring about practical applications to these discoveries.
In Genesis 1:28, God says, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” While this seems to directly apply to living things, I think there is a broader scope of discovery that God wants us to take on. (The only problem of course, is our fallen nature, and detestable practices of perversion in the name of science; human-animal embryonic hybrids, etc).
But aside from that, these other discoveries may bear fruitful connections to applications such as: Growing crops in the desert, cheaply purifying sea-water, or creating a "virtually" limitless source of energy.
Look to the prophetic words for Christ’s millennial kingdom:
Isaiah 2:4 – “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”
Christ, himself will teach those who have survived the Tribulation how to use everything for His Father’s Glory, when previously, it was simply to fulfill our own arrogant ends. It’s safe to assume that our Lord will delegate these tasks to us, using not only discoveries that HE will provide, but some that we’ve “stumbled” upon, and within the scope of the natural laws, bound within His creation.
… to all, If any of my interpretations are in error, feel free to offer perspective … or just flat out correct me :^)
God Bless.
What a collossal waste of money that could ease the suffering and hunger of so many!
If humans want to know the mind of GOD they should pick up a bible and start there, and it is not his GP that is keeping him living it is GOD, who gives us threescore plus 10= 70 years if HE wants to.This man needs prayer to see the truth brethren, IN JESUS NAME