Hold on I think we have all missed the big story today
mermaids dont exist

If its a field then how are the particles involved?

I remember reading, in Hawking’s “Short History of Time” (which I got all the way through and thought I understood most of) that the “particle” image isn’t actually what’s going on, it’s just a convenient touchstone to get the general idea across. Apparently, a sub-atomic particle is actually more like an infinitely wide but incredibly thin fluctuation or vibration in space/time.

Or something.

Something to do with there always being a corresponding particle to every field along the lines that Woppit laid out above.

But I’m just regurgitating what I’ve read.

It’s “A Brief History of Time” and 10million people have bought a copy.

Higgs is easy, “Particle Spin” fries my head.

It’s “A Brief History of Time”

So it is. I stand corrected.

Apparently, a sub-atomic particle is actually more like an infinitely wide but incredibly thin fluctuation or vibration in space/time.

So the particles are the field then. That makes sense.

I’ve heard an explanation using the analogy of the Higgs field being like a thick carpet.

Particles with more mass sink into the pile and have a lot of drag on them. Lighter particle don’t sink as far and photons don’t touch the “carpet” at all so remain at the speed of light. In this analogy the higgs bosons are like the strand that make up the pile of the carpet.

We are still missing gravitons though.

Am I the only one thinking that, if there is a God, that she’s presently laughing her tits off at all this ‘we’ve finally found the meaning of stuff’ erm… stuff?

Ooooooh
Particle Physics gives me a hadron

binners – Member
Am I the only one thinking that, if there is a God, that she’s presently laughing her tits off at all this ‘we’ve finally found the meaning of stuff’ erm… stuff?

Probably.

Judging from the comments so far, I kind of presumed I was. Its like a 13 year olds bedroom in here sometimes

Is your guff about female gods, tits and “meaning of stuff” a more mature commentary then?

Not the remotest little bit. Just slightly less spoddy 😉

Does the discovery of Hugh’s Bison, or whatever it’s called, bring us any nearer to understanding whether the chicken or the egg came first?

I imagine the Big Bang would either have broken the egg or fried the chicken, but I don’t have any science like those guys with their massive subterranean ring thing.

A Higgs-Boson walks into a church, the priest says “We don’t allow Higgs-Bosons in here.”
The Higgs-Boson says “But without me how can you have mass?

but I don’t have any science

I know.

“A Higgs-Boson walks into a church, the priest says “We don’t allow Higgs-Bosons in here.”
The Higgs-Boson says “But without me how can you have mass? “

Rasist

Yay for Higgs Boson!

http://www.redmeat.com/redmeat/2006-02-21/index.html

“but I don’t have any science “

I know.

Perhaps you should get some…

whether the chicken or the egg came first?

No. Assuming you subscribe to either the Theory of Evolution or religious doctrine, we already know that. Though, unsurprisingly, the answers provided by these two schools of thought are contradictory.

Perhaps you should get some…

Fine. Will I need a massive subterranean ring? Because I’ve only got a small garden.

Im not happy about all this as they might make a film about it and it’ll probably have Matt Damon in it.

Perhaps you should get some…

Have you thought about just getting some thick-rimmed glasses, then just making up some random big words? No-one will ever know. Well… some people might, but they’re limited social skills won’t allow them to say anything? 😆

Fine. Will I need a massive subterranean ring? Because I’ve only got a small garden.

Not at all. One or two books and an internet connection will do it, I should imagine.

You’ll first need to know what “Science” actually means, of course.

You’ll find it useful to abandon your need for simple answers to complex problems, I should think.

Sposed to be headed to CERN (well the immediate vicinity) in 2 day’s time.
Better check it’s still there, and not sucked in to a black hole 😉

You’ll find it useful to abandon your need for simple answers to complex problems, however.

You don’t mean that the lot wasn’t created in 6 days, then he rested? I don’t think I can cope with that, I’m afraid

IanMunro – Member
Does this latest discovery make the existence of Shatner’s Bassoon more probable?

rofl 😀

You’ll find it useful to abandon your need for simple answers to complex problems, however

So that I can sound clever and superior when talking about it?

Or because science-ists don’t actually understand what they’re on about themselves, so are unable to translate any of it into laymans terms?

In reality, I prefer complex answers to simple questions – this is when you know someone’s trying to over-emphasise what they’ve just done by making it sound all intellectual and important.

You’ll find it useful to abandon your need for simple answers to complex problems, however

In your own mind, were you patting him on the head as you typed that? And did you then delete the next bit where you tell him to run along laddy, and leave this to the grown ups?

So that I can sound clever and superior when talking about it?

No. So that you’ll know what you’re talking about when you talk about it.

Or because science-ists don’t actually understand what they’re on about themselves, so are unable to translate any of it into laymans terms?

No. Scientists know exactly what they’re talking about. Getting some science will enable you to understand them better.

In reality, I prefer complex answers to simple questions

Clearly.

Kit – Member

Yay for Higgs Boson!

Not seen Red Meat for a while.

Getting some science will enable you to understand them better.

Are you sure it won’t make them feel a bit more insecure if us simpletons can make a vague approximation of what it is they’re on about? I’m worried it could undermine their fragile confidence, fill them with self-doubt and ultimately have the same effect on them as people trying to explain complimacated stuff to us? Their heads might explode

Jus’ sayin’ like

Binners go and draw some pretty pictures on your computer with the correct font whilst tweaking the kerning …That is proper work and not at all Geeky
Innit

hang on.

in the unlikely event that someone on here understands waht the hell is going on…

from the beeb:

The CMS team claimed they had seen a “bump” in their data corresponding to a particle weighing in at 125.3 gigaelectronvolts (GeV) – about 133 times heavier than the proton

protons have mass, right?

how does a proton have mass, if it’s 1/133rd the mass of the particle responsible for mass.

?

you can’t have ‘a little bit’ of a particle – that’s sort of the point, isn’t it?

i’m all ‘yay science!’ an ting, but i’m finding it hard to get excited about something i don’t understand.

‘insert head exploding jpeg here’

It’s all just a scam for nerdy 20-somethings to stay in Uni study it whilst leeching off the taxpayers as well as nerdy 50-somethings to have actual paying jobs running a big machine.

how does a proton have mass, if it’s 1/133rd the mass of the particle responsible for mass.

I think it’s the Higgs Field that gives other particles mass but that the presence of the field also demands an associated particle. The field theory was developed to explain why particles have mass and in order for that theory to be consistent there needed to be an associated particle hence the discovery of the particle confirms the Higgs field.

Is that right peeps?

It’s all just a scam for nerdy 20-somethings to stay in Uni study it whilst leeching off the taxpayers as well as nerdy 50-somethings to have actual paying jobs running a big machine.

Yeah these idiotic scientists really have no clue what they’re talking about…after all, they’re only scientists, who ever wants to listen to them? I mean sure, I admit they were right about the world being round…and the planets going around the sun… and lightning being caused by opposite charges between the earth and the sky, not Zeus…and worms and rats not appearing out of nowhere…and stars being balls of gas burning millions of miles away, not holes in heaven…and the brain being the center of the nervous system, not the heart…and lead poisoning being able to kill you…and cigarettes being bad for you, and everything else ever discovered or invented, but still! They’re work-shy lazy students!

Yeah these idiotic scientists really have no clue what they’re talking about…after all, they’re only scientists, who ever wants to listen to them? I mean sure, I admit they were right about the world being round…and the planets going around the sun… and lightning being caused by opposite charges between the earth and the sky, not Zeus…and worms and rats not appearing out of nowhere…and stars being balls of gas burning millions of miles away, not holes in heaven…and the brain being the center of the nervous system, not the heart…and lead poisoning being able to kill you…and cigarettes being bad for you, and everything else ever discovered or invented, but still! They’re work-shy lazy students!

And breathe.

Did you know the idea of our forefathers believing the earth was flat is largely a myth btw? No one educated has believed in a flat earth for 2000 years.

another step closer to the next big bang.. I predict next Thursday afternoon..

yaaay..

THE Higgs boson has discussed its rollercoaster ride to fame and revealed exciting reality TV plans.

The Higgs boson pictured on the dancefloor at an exclusive nightclub.

Within an hour of its CERN debut, the Higgs boson signed to physics-based ITV2 structured reality show The Only Way Is String Theory and released a ghost-written memoir Behind The Formulae: My Super-Collision With Fame.

Speaking at a press conference, the particle said: “I want to thank the CERN team, the entire field of theoretical physics and most of all my agent, Max Clifford.

“Also I want to give a special shout to the other types of particle who’ve been plugging away since the big bang, literally holding the fabric of the universe together.

“I’m particularly thinking about the photons and gravitons. Can I get a big hand in here for the photons and gravitrons?

“Yeah, show some love for those guys.”

Particle talent agent Tom Logan said: “Since Higgs boson became a media phenomenon, the rush is on to sign other small localised objects.

“A lot of smart money is on dilatons being the next breakthrough particle, even though currently they’re purely hypothetical. They just have a great vibe.

“Personally I’m holding out for majorons, the discovery of which could help us understand neutrino masses, which is sure to be a hit with the teen crowd.

Office worker Emma Bradford said: “Higgs boson is definitely the hottest of the particles. I bet he’s got amazing tiny abs.

“But apparently his discovery proves that I have mass. Does that mean I’m somehow fatter than yesterday?”

Higgs boson becomes first celebrity particle