by Bobby White…
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been hearing a great deal about the “God particle†for the last week and a half. My interest was piqued when, at a family get together a few days ago, my aunt asked me if Physicists were trying to disprove the existence of God. This led me to ask a few questions, such as how the Higgs Boson particle became dubbed the “God particle†and why that particular nickname is the focus of mainstream media, rather than any qualitative data about the particle’s function and scientific significance.
What is frustrating and confusing, especially for someone who has no background in the sciences, is the prevalent use of phrasing such as “all but proven,†and “nearly confirmed.†Why is it such a big deal if the existence of the particle hasn’t even been completely confirmed?
The Higgs mechanism, Peter Higgs’ mechanism which includes the previously theoretical particle, is the scientific mechanism by which elemental particles are given mass. Therefore, if scientists are able to prove the existence of the Higgs Boson particle, then they are able to begin to prove the prevailing theory of how elementary particles interact with each other.
The Higgs Boson particle takes its inflammatory nickname from a popular book written about particle physics called “The God Particle: If the Universe Is the Answer, What is the Question†by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Leon M. Lederman and science writer Dick Teresi. I imagine that “God particle†sells a great deal better than “Higgs Boson particle,†which is why I believe that many of the prevailing media centers are pouring so much hype into the nickname.
The real question is this: How does this discovery affect the public at large? Since the Higgs Boson has been compared to the discovery of the electron, the answer is “all but proven†to be quite a great deal. More to follow.