(Image Source: NPR)  

 

BY VICTORIA CRAIG

 

You're watching multisource video news analysis from Newsy. 

 

A seminar in Geneva has scientists atwitter with excitement. They hope a major announcement will confirm the God Particle - or Higgs Boson - is the real deal, and not just a theory. The Guardian’s Science Weekly has the scoop.

 

“The European particle physics laboratory CERN...holds a special seminar to discuss the latest results from its proton-smashing experiments in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)...The word is that they have found evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson, the material manifestation of the Higgs field that is theorised to pervade the entire universe and give mass to fundamental particles.”

 

What exactly would a God Particle discovery mean for the world? Here’s the word from the lead researcher on San Diego’s KGTV.

 

“The presence of the Higgs Boson can help explain how the universe evolved from the big bang.”

 

How’s that work? In short-- the Higgs Boson slows other particles and converts their energy to mass. One BBC scientific correspondent puts the potential discovery into historical perspective.

 

“The discovery of the Higgs Boson would undoubtedly be the biggest scientific breakthrough of the century so far. Arguably, it would be the most important discovery since Crick and Watson worked out the structure of DNA nearly 60 years ago.”

 

But the National Post advises readers-- don’t jump for joy just yet.

 

“The only thing that is known for certain...is that there will not be a definitive announcement about the existence of the Higgs Boson...CERN’s director general, said as much in an invitation to the meeting, promising ‘significant progress in the search for the Higgs boson, but not enough to make any conclusive statement on the existence or non-existence of the Higgs.’”

 

Still --one theoretical physicist explains why all hope is not lost if the big announcement isn’t as groundbreaking as some hope. He’s quoted in the Scientific American.

 

“The  LHC...was built to give a completely definitive answer about the Higgs boson. And it’s just a question of time in order to do that. The machine works, the detectors work, we have all the people doing what they need to do. So we will have a definitive answer about the Higgs. It’s just a question of when it will happen.”

 

CERN is expected to announce the results of its latest research on Tuesday.

Tech / Sci / Health News: CERN to Give Higgs Boson Update

The God Particle: Does it Really Exist?

December 13, 2011
(2:00)
An announcement Tuesday might confirm Higgs boson is more than just a scientific theory.
   
TRANSCRIPT

To leave a comment, please log in with Facebook Connect or your Newsy account. Register here to create one.
MOST RECENT|MOST POPULAR|MOST COMMENTED|HIGHEST RATED

Drunk Girl Wanders Into Home, Gets Shot, Charged With Felony
An intoxicated University of Colorado graduate was shot after she wandered into a home in Boulder, Colorado. She's now facing felony charges.
(1:50)
May 27, 2012
Leaders Continue to Disagree on Eurozone Plans
European Leaders met at a summit in Brussels, but have failed to find a consensus plan of action for the Eurozone.
(2:00)
May 27, 2012
Syrian Conflict at Possible 'Turning Point'
U.N. observers verify attacks for first time.
(1:39)
May 27, 2012
Top News Headlines: Afghan Officials: Airstrike Kills Family
More headlines: Four NATO troops killed in roadside bomb attacks; Syrian rebels call for Houla retaliation; rebel groups in Mali join forces.
(1:25)
May 27, 2012
PayPal Extends In-Store Purchasing
PayPal teams up with 15 new retail stores providing users with a new way to shop.
(1:48)
May 27, 2012
Knicks Hire Woodson as Head Coach
The New York Knicks removed the interim tag from now-head coach Mike Woodson. Woodson signed for what is believed to be a three-year deal as coach.
(1:46)
May 27, 2012
Internet Defense League Will Use Cat Signal to Protect Web
The group hopes to build a network that can be summoned to fight internet legislation like SOPA.
(1:48)
May 27, 2012
NASA Warns Lunar Explorers Not to Touch its Stuff
The space agency declared the area around its moon artifacts to be protected zones, asking other explorers to keep away.
(1:49)
May 27, 2012
Controversy Over Erotic Best Seller ‘50 Shades of Grey’
Libraries struggle whether to ban the book, which they say qualifies as erotica but is also one of the most checked-out books.
(2:23)
May 27, 2012
Pope's Butler Arrested Over Leaked Vatican Documents
The Pope's butler is accused of leaking confidential Vatican files to Italian media.
(1:35)
May 26, 2012
Alternate Juror Flirts with John Edwards
A female juror has been outwardly flirting with John Edwards during his trial - and Edwards has actually been responding.
(1:17)
May 26, 2012
Top News Headlines: Obama to Honor Vets on Memorial Day
More headlines: Memorial Day gas prices lower, yet still high; Experts suspicious of Iran's nuke program; Southeast braces for Beryl.
(1:25)
May 26, 2012
49ers' QB Smith Criticized for Cam Newton Comments
Smith downplayed the Panther's QB's accomplishments last year, which wasn't too popular with Newton's teammates.
(2:04)
May 26, 2012
Syrian Crisis Continues with Massacre in Houla
An attack on the Syrian town of Houla killed at least 90 people on Saturday, including around 25 children.
(1:28)
May 26, 2012

Newsy

www1