Higgs Boson announcement expected from CERN today

UPDATE 5:57 AM The live webcast from CERN is overloaded but it appears that uncertainty still exists about the HB, they may have glimpsed its signal around 126 GeV – see below – Anthony

“The God Particle” may have been found.

Scientists in Geneva are expected to announce they have caught a glimpse of the elusive Higgs Boson on Tuesday in a press conference planned for 8 AM EST.

The particle is a vital factor in science’s understanding of the universe, but it has never been seen by scientists in any particle accelerator, perhaps until now. The theory of its existence goes all the way back to 1964.

Finding the Higgs Boson is one of the main goals of the $10 billion Large Hadron Collider (LHC) which recently started operation amidst worry that the search for the HB might open a rift or create a small black hole.

If scientists have gotten a  glimpse of the Higgs, it could have far-reaching consequences in particle physics. It is the only particle predicted by the current favored theory of particle physics that has not yet been observed experimentally. Its discovery would likely validate the Standard Model theory.

Some trivia from the Wikipedia entry on it:

The Higgs boson is often referred to as “the God particle” by the media,[50] after the title of Leon Lederman‘s book, The God Particle: If the Universe Is the Answer, What Is the Question?[51] Lederman initially wanted to call it the “goddamn particle,” but his editor would not let him.[52]

I’m sure our physicist friend Luboš Motl will have some coverage at The Reference Frame once the announcement is made for us folks that are three quarks shy of full set of fermions.

==============================================================

The Guardian reports on live tweets and what portions of the webcast they could view

While Fabiola Gianotti goes through the slides from the Atlas experiment, excluding various energies for the Higgs signal, here’s some thoughts from Prof Stephan Söldner-Rembold, Head of the Particle Physics Group at the University of Manchester:

ATLAS and CMS have presented an important milestone in their search for the Higgs particle, but it is not yet sufficient for a proper discovery given the amount of data recorded so far. Still, I am very excited about it, since the quality of the LHC results is exceptional.

The Higgs particle seems to have picked itself a mass which makes things very difficult for us physicists. Everything points at a mass in the range 115-140 GeV and we concentrate on this region with our searches at the LHC and at the Tevatron.

The results indicate we are about half-way there and within one year we will probably know whether the Higgs particle exists with absolute certainty, but it is unfortunately not a Christmas present this year.

The Higgs particle will, of course, be a great discovery, but it would be an even greater discovery if it didn’t exist where theory predicts it to be. This would be a huge surprise and secretly we hope this might happen. If this is case, there must be something else that takes the role of the “standard” Higgs particle, perhaps a family of several Higgs particles or something even more exotic. The unexpected is always the most exciting.

From Cern: “#ATLAS sees a small excess at a Higgs mass of 126 GeV coming from 3 channels. Local significance: 3.6 sigma but only 2.4 sigma globally”

That’s not enough for a “discovery” (which techically needs 5 sigma) but it is very interesting evidence for the Higgs.

Also: “#ATLAS excludes a #Higgs mass between 131 and 453 GeV at 95% confidence level at #CERN Higgs seminar”

Fabiola Gianotti has finished her presentation. So far,we know that Atlas seems to have found evidence for a bump around 126GeV for something that looks like the Higgs.

Next up is Guido Tonelli, spokesperson for Cern’s other main detector, the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS). As @iansample says, “So. What we’re looking for now is whether CMS detector has seen Higgs-like signals around the same mass (126GeV).”

How science has changed…doing some searching on the Atlas experiment, I came across this commercialization of the science at the Atlas store. At least they aren’t offering Pecan logs.

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Konrad
December 13, 2011 8:50 pm

Leif Svalgaard says:
December 13, 2011 at 8:33 pm
It isn’t: http://www.invisibleculture.rochester.edu/news/show.php?id=747
I stand corrected and amazed.
Now all I need for a “snap, crackle and pop” universe is an indication of stable matter being created from the ejecta from the poles of a black hole. 😉

G. Karst
December 13, 2011 9:06 pm

Konrad says:
December 13, 2011 at 7:41 pm
While creating semi stable matter from electromagnetic radiation alone in a hissing sea of vacuum energy may be beyond our present abilities

Ah yes, the famous replicator. It frees mankind from greed and enables us to become an advanced civilization, which will explore – where no man has gone before! GK

December 13, 2011 9:09 pm

Konrad says:
December 13, 2011 at 8:34 pm
do the number of short lived particles produced exceed the number of subatomic particles brought to the collision?
Yes, two particles [protons] collide and hundreds or thousands of new particles are created from the energy of the speeding protons. The hope is that one or more of those would be the Higgs.

Tim Barzyk
December 13, 2011 9:41 pm

I can’t wait to see where the Higg’s field leads in terms of implications for physics and the universe. What kinds of technologies can be developed for it? How will we come to a deeper understanding of time, space and other dimensions when it becomes more tractable and observable. Can’t wait to see…in the meantime, my imagination will fill in the blanks – for better or worse!

Mac the Knife
December 13, 2011 10:02 pm

Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider
Search feverishly for Higgs Boson sprites inside her.
The data from Atlas says “Maybe…”
but confirmation of the God Particle remains hazy!
Could it be God is a Higgs Boson Denier?
MtK

December 13, 2011 11:45 pm

Konrad says:
December 13, 2011 at 1:39 pm
The problem with the search for the Higgs Boson is that it has a foundation in the belief of the big bang theory. This theory like many before it is an anthropogenic conceit.

You are 100% correct. Glad there are still rational people out there.
P.S. Open mind and [SNIP: Whether you are right or not, site policy demands civility and that was rather uncivil. Address the arguments, please. -REP]

December 13, 2011 11:58 pm

There is no Higgs’ Boson, and it will never be found.
I am 100% sure, because the Big Bang theory is an obvious lie.
The farther they will look using better telescopes, the more galaxies they will see.
The ubiquitous red shift is nothing but an effect of the curvature of the space-time.
Keep in mind that it isn’t only space that is curved; time is also curved, and on the scale of billions of light-years it’s curvature becomes noticeable.
No need for demonic energy and evil invisible matter.
Objects in the curved mirror are closer than they appear.

Mike
December 14, 2011 12:21 am

‘NASA’s Voyager Hits New Region at Solar System Edge’
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/dec/HQ_11-402_AGU_Voyager.html
“Voyager is showing that what is outside is pushing back. … Like cars piling up at a clogged freeway off-ramp, the increased intensity of the magnetic field shows that inward pressure from interstellar space is compacting it.”
Aether physically occupies three dimensional space and is physically displaced by matter. The aether displaced by the solar system is pushing back and exerting pressure inward toward the solar system.
The pushing back and pressure exerted inward toward the solar system is evidence of the aether.
The pushing back and pressure exerted inward toward matter by aether displaced by matter is gravity.
In de Broglie wave mechanics the particle is in continuous energetic contact with a hidden medium. This energetic contact with a hidden medium is the state of displacement of the aether.
A moving particle has an associated aether displacement wave. In a double slit experiment the particle has a well defined trajectory which takes it through one slit while the associated aether wave passes through both.
‘Ether and the Theory of Relativity by Albert Einstein’
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Extras/Einstein_ether.html
“the state of the [ether] is at every place determined by connections with the matter and the state of the ether in neighbouring places, … disregarding the causes which condition its state.”
The state of the aether at every place determined by connections with the matter and the state of the aether in neighboring places is the state of displacement of the aether.

NotTheAussiePhilM
December 14, 2011 2:56 am

No scientist would use the ‘G’ word in connection with this or any other particle
– science is after all the pursuit of natural explanations of reality without resorting to super-natural explanations.
– science is also the pursuit of natural explanations of reality without the need to ‘hide-the-decline’
– but that’s another story!

tallbloke
December 14, 2011 3:16 am

Leif Svalgaard says:
December 13, 2011 at 11:22 am

Thanks Leif, I’ve reposted your comment here. All input welcome to this open debate.
http://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/donald-scott-voyager-1-updates-solar-electron-flux/#comment-10685

tallbloke
December 14, 2011 3:54 am

Leif Svalgaard says:
December 13, 2011 at 8:00 pm
This has nothing per se to do with the big bang [although the same process worked them: the energy released from the false vacuum was converted into particles which then were annihilated to create radiation again, leaving only a small residue [one in a billion] of particles to make up you and me].

What is a ‘false vacuum’?

Reply to  tallbloke
December 14, 2011 4:37 am

tallbloke,
RTM

wayne Job
December 14, 2011 4:32 am

Delusion is the ongoing search for the god particle to prove a standard model that is growing in complexity and particles rather than simplifying into a real theory.
The search for truth in all endeavours, be it science, mathematics or engineering becomes less complex and more elegant as one finds the truth. The standard model is a nightmare of increasing complexity that takes us away from the truth.

Mike
December 14, 2011 5:22 am

No scientist would say empty space can push back and exert pressure inward toward the solar system.
Voyager detected the gravitational field.
What is presently postulated as dark matter is aether. Aether has mass and is physically displaced by matter. Aether displaced by matter exerts pressure toward the matter.
What Voyager detected is the aether displaced by the solar system pushing back toward the solar system which is gravity.

Vince Causey
December 14, 2011 6:33 am

Alexander Feht,
“The farther they will look using better telescopes, the more galaxies they will see.”
Not true, for two reasons. 1) Beyond the limit of the observable universe, space would be receding from us at a speed greater than light speed, and 2) when we look out to the edge of the observable universe, the furthest point we can see is the universe as it existed just 300,000 years after the big bang – a period known as the “first light”. Thus, if you tried to look any further out, you wouldn’t see anything at all because light was still bound up in the high temperature of the matter that existed then.
However, it may well be possible that the universe is infinite. Some scientists have suggested that the event known as “inflation” may be occurring all over the place. So for example, our observable universe arose from inflation that caused a rapid expansion followed by a normal type of space. Beyond that bubble of normal space, there may be other inflations that have happened and are happening now.
Incidently, the evidence that supports the big bang is the microwave background radiation which was predicted to be at 2.7k and that is indeed what it is.

kwik
December 14, 2011 8:10 am

Vince Causey says:
December 14, 2011 at 6:33 am
“Not true, for two reasons. 1) Beyond the limit of the observable universe, space would be receding from us at a speed greater than light speed, and 2) when we look out to the edge of the observable universe, the furthest point we can see is the universe as it existed just 300,000 years after the big bang – a period known as the “first light”.
You do not know that, Vince. It is an assumption, right? Therefore you cannot tell Alexander this as a thruth, rejecting what Alexander says.
Based on empirical evidence, Alexander’s “thruth” is really more believeable….Because what he says is what allways has happend in the past….Extending the range, and you see more galaxies….again and again, this has happened….
But then, one day, we might not see anything more….but we dont know why…..Yes, I know, the bing bang, redshift, doppler effect, and all that….but tell me; If we can see the velocity of all galaxies, in all directions, we should be able to pinpoint the center where the big bang was? By vectoring all velocities? In that case, where is it? …..Just kidding.

Vince Causey
December 14, 2011 10:15 am

Kwik,
“You do not know that, Vince. It is an assumption, right? Therefore you cannot tell Alexander this as a thruth, rejecting what Alexander says.”
Well, the further out into the universe you look, the younger the galaxies also appear, since you are looking back in time. Right out at the furthest reaches – around 13 billion ly – you see only dust clouds, because 13 billion years ago, the first galaxies haven’t formed. This is simply a consequence of the finite speed of light. I never suggested that there was nothing beyond that – simply that you can’t see beyond that. This is not an opinion, but an observation.. In addition I mentioned that the universe may in fact be infinite, but I accept that would be mere speculation.

kwik
December 14, 2011 10:49 am

Vince Causey says:
December 14, 2011 at 10:15 am
Yes, but the funny thing is that I remember very well all those years that exactly the same was said when we could only see 4 billion years “out”……and it was said in a very confident way, as if this was the thruth, and it proved that the universe was….yes, 4 billion years old. It also proved the big bang, and what have you.
A bit circular reasoning, dont you think? It didnt prove that the universe was 4 billion years at all.
I admit that I myself believe the big bang theory as being the most probable story, because of the red shift, the speed of light and all that, but, I must admit that when they just substituted 4 with , is it 12 now, and kept the rest, I suddenly realised that most scientists are just parrotting what they themselves learn at school, and arent questioning much.
So, where is the center of the big bang?

Johnnythelowery
December 14, 2011 11:06 am

Frankly…. (which is odd as i used to be Frank before I changed my name)….things are getting stranger (which is also a double odd coincidence because my wife says i’m getting stranger by the minute!)!!

Johnnythelowery
December 14, 2011 11:07 am

The embyronic E8 Lisi theory and string/M need A Higgs. And a Anti-Higgs.

Johnnythelowery
December 14, 2011 11:14 am

…………….But then, one day, we might not see anything more….but we dont know why…..Yes, I know, the bing bang, redshift, doppler effect, and all that….but tell me; If we can see the velocity of all galaxies, in all directions, we should be able to pinpoint the center where the big bang was? By vectoring all velocities? In that case, where is it? …..Just kidding.
————————————————————————————————————————–
The place where the Universe emminated is near here. not that far—i’ve heard.

December 14, 2011 11:15 am

Vince Causey says: December 14, 2011 at 10:15 am
Right out at the furthest reaches – around 13 billion ly – you see only dust clouds

So you can’t see what is beyond the dust clouds? 🙂
I think we all see what we want to see on this one…
Anyway, the Big Bang keeps us amused and helps scare the kids…
But can we now get back to work and do some real science.

Mike
December 14, 2011 11:18 am

They are not getting stranger. Voyager detected the aether.
What is postulated as dark matter is aether. Aether has mass. Aether is physically displaced by matter. Aether displaced by matter exerts pressure toward matter.
Gravity is the force displaced aether exerts toward matter.
A moving particle has an associated aether displacement wave.
The hidden-medium of de Broglie wave mechanics is the aether.
In a double slit experiment the particle has a well defined trajectory which takes it through one slit while the associated aether wave passes through both.

December 14, 2011 11:45 am

tallbloke says: December 14, 2011 at 3:54 am
What is a ‘false vacuum’?

I am glad you asked 🙂

In quantum field theory, a false vacuum is a metastable sector of space that appears to be a perturbative vacuum, but is unstable due to instanton effects that may tunnel to a lower energy state. This tunneling can be caused by quantum fluctuations or the creation of high-energy particles. Simply put, the false vacuum is a local minimum, but not the lowest energy state, even though it may remain stable for some time. This is analogous to metastability for first-order phase transitions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_vacuum

It’s metastable but unstable
It’s first-order but transitions
It’s a minimum but not the lowest minimum
It’s a vacuum that has tunnels…
It’s a vacuum that enables the creation of high-energy particles
It’s a perturbative vacuum that manages to remain stable for some time
Straightforward really 🙂
Simply put: It’s analogous to first-order vacuous waffle.

December 14, 2011 12:03 pm

And for a really good laugh 🙂

In quantum mechanics and quantum field theory,
the vacuum is defined as the state
(i.e. solution to the equations of the theory)
with the lowest possible energy (the ground state of the Hilbert space).
This is a state with
no matter particles (hence the name),
and also no photons,
no gravitons,
etc.
As described above, this state is impossible to achieve experimentally.
(Even if every matter particle could somehow be removed from a volume,
it would be impossible to eliminate all the blackbody photons.)
This hypothetical vacuum state often has interesting and complex properties.
For example, it contains vacuum fluctuations
(virtual particles that hop into and out of existence).
It also, relatedly, has a finite energy, called vacuum energy.
Vacuum fluctuations are an essential and ubiquitous part of quantum field theory.
Some readily-apparent effects of vacuum fluctuations include the Casimir effect and Lamb shift.
There can be more than one possible vacuum state.
The starting and ending of cosmological inflation is thought to have arisen from transitions between different vacuum states.
For theories obtained by quantization of a classical theory, each stationary point of the energy in the configuration space gives rise to a single vacuum. String theory is believed to have a huge number of vacua – the so-called string theory landscape.
In the superfluid vacuum theory the physical vacuum is described as the quantum superfluid which is essentially non-relativistic whereas the Lorentz symmetry is an approximate emerging symmetry valid only for the small fluctuations of the superfluid background.
An observer who resides inside such vacuum and is capable of creating and/or measuring the small fluctuations would observe them as relativistic objects – unless their energy and momentum are sufficiently high (as compared to the background ones) to make the Lorentz-breaking corrections detectable. It was shown that the relativistic gravity arises as the small-amplitude collective excitation mode whereas the relativistic elementary particles can be described by the particle-like modes in the low-momentum limit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partial_vacuum

December 14, 2011 12:10 pm

Re Wikipedia:
virtual particles that hop into and out of existence
Is there a BIG BANG when these particles hop into and out of existence?
Can a Universe simply hop into and out of existence?