God Particle

[tiltbillings]

[Ben]

314028_10150907571818372_1954793249_n.jpg (106.58 KiB) Viewed 634 times

[David N. Snyder]

Nice comics.

On a more serious note, why call it the 'God particle' ? It is a new sub-atomic particle that is found and it is the underlying sub-atomic particle that provides mass? Did I say that correctly? If this is true, it is hardly a being, but just the part that provides mass. Perhaps one of our scientists here can put this in lay terms.

[David2]

On a more serious note, why call it the 'God particle' ?

IT'S been called the "God particle". But the Higgs boson has nothing to do with a deity.

The new subatomic particle discovered at CERN is certainly consistent with the elusive Higgs boson, and further work should confirm whether it is indeed the entity that fits into the Standard Model of physics.

We can thank the Nobel prize-winning physicist Leon Lederman, and his 1993 popular science book, for the catchy nickname.

He wanted to put the Higgs particle at the heart of modern theoretical physics as something that could explain why matter has mass and why, therefore, it comes together to form atoms, molecules, planets and people.

He also pointed out that his publishers rejected his preferred title of "Goddamn particle" (in recognition of its elusiveness) in favour of "God particle".

Peter Higgs has always despised the term, but it stuck.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/sc ... 59307.html

[David N. Snyder]

He also pointed out that his publishers rejected his preferred title of "Goddamn particle" (in recognition of its elusiveness) in favour of "God particle".
Peter Higgs has always despised the term, but it stuck.

I guess most people want "something"; that is, since science can't give them an anthropomorphic-god, then they want at least some underlying pantheistic (non-personal) force.



But in the final analysis I am sure it will be noted that it's just a sub-atomic particle.

[gavesako]

He wanted to put the Higgs particle at the heart of modern theoretical physics as something that could explain why matter has mass and why, therefore, it comes together to form atoms, molecules, planets and people.

I think it should better be called the "Fat Particle".

[Alex123]

IMHO the reason it is called God-particle might mean to replace the idea of "God creating Universe" with scientific and materialistic explanation of how universe appears. We know more and more about how universe began and there is less and less space for God or "God of the gaps" argument.

[theravada_guy]

Thanks for making this post, tilt. I've been wondering about this discovery. I like Alex's possible explanation of why it's called the "God particle". Makes sense to me.

That image was pretty funny, Ben...

[Kim OHara]

... I like Alex's possible explanation of why it's called the "God particle". Makes sense to me.

Hi, theravada guy,
It might make sense but it is wrong - factually incorrect. See David2's post above.


Kim

[Ben]

... I like Alex's possible explanation of why it's called the "God particle". Makes sense to me.

Hi, theravada guy,
It might make sense but it is wrong - factually incorrect. See David2's post above.


Kim

Kim...Shoosh!
Don't go spoiling a good story with some facts!
We all know what happened to Galileo, don't we?
kind regards,

Ben

[theravada_guy]

Kim,

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm very scientifically inept (I think that's the right word?). A lot of it is over my head. I didn't do very well in science and math classes in school.

[Ben]

A Higgs Boson walks into a church.
"We don't allow Higgs Bosons in here!", shouted the priest.
The particle asks "But without me, how can you have mass?"

-- Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.

[alan]

Ha!
This was major news, but didn't stick. Maybe because it seems too "dense". Most people are just not tuned into science, which is a shame, in my view. Science teaches us to analyze, and think rationally. You don't have to be good at math to love science--and the new frontiers of science open up many possibilities for philosophical thought, if you're just willing to listen, and pay attention.

[mikenz66]

This BBC article was good:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18702455
Especially the video of Peter Higgs becoming almost teary eyed.

This is one of the best explanations I've seen of the Higgs Boson:
http://technabob.com/blog/2012/07/05/hi ... explained/




Mike