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Rival Labs Fight Like Hell to Find 'God Particle'

US may catch elusive particle first while Europe does repairs

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 17, 2009 10:24 AM CST
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(Newser) – The US-based Fermilab is gaining ground on Europe's CERN in the race to discover the Higgs boson, the elusive prize of particle physics, reports the BBC. While the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland remains out of order, Fermilab's facility in Chicago has been cranked up. At a recent conference, the director of the American facility predicted it could find the Higgs boson—sometimes called the "God particle"—in the next two years.

The Higgs boson is critical to the so-called "standard model" of particle physics, and helps to explain why matter in the universe has mass. Fermilab researchers are planning to work through coming vacation; as one scientist said, "Whoever is first is first." One of their European colleagues acknowledged that the American apparatus is working well, but noted, "In one year, we will be competitive. After that, we will swamp them."

Part of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland. While European scientists repair the hadron collider, American researchers have made progress in the search for the Higgs boson.
Part of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland. While European scientists repair the hadron collider, American researchers have made progress in the search for the Higgs boson.   (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini, File)
This March 22, 2007 file photo shows the magnet core of the world's largest superconducting solenoid magnet, one of the experiments preparing to take data at CERN'ss Large Hadron Collider in Geneva.
This March 22, 2007 file photo shows the magnet core of the world's largest superconducting solenoid magnet, one of the experiments preparing to take data at CERN'ss Large Hadron Collider in Geneva.   (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini, File)
This March 22, 2007 file photo shows the magnet core of the world's largest superconducting solenoid magnet, one of the experiments preparing to take data at CERN'ss Large Hadron Collider in Geneva.
This March 22, 2007 file photo shows the magnet core of the world's largest superconducting solenoid magnet, one of the experiments preparing to take data at CERN'ss Large Hadron Collider in Geneva.   (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini, file)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Mr.C
Feb 17, 2009 5:44 AM CST
I thought the US had a hand in (funding) the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland - is that not true?
Guest
Feb 17, 2009 4:23 AM CST
i'm just hoping for something to shut up those fundies
riffran
Feb 17, 2009 12:05 AM CST
if they ever discover exactly how mass and gravity in particular, work.......it would bring in a whole new era in space exploration...no bone and muscle loss, possible new ways of propulsion......I doubt it will be in our lifetime though....but who knows......They didn't have magnetic thrusters 2 decades ago, and now they are capable of 1/10th of C...so Ive read

CERN announces schedule to get back on track
New York Times

Tom Hanks pops in on the Large Hadron Collider
Nature

 
CERN • Large Hadron Collider • Fermilab • particle physics • Higgs boson • God particle

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