![\"Higgs](\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/1\/1c\/CMS_Higgs-event.jpg\/220px-CMS_Higgs-event.jpg\" "\\"Higgs")
<\/a>Higgs Signature Concept – Credit Wikipedia<\/p><\/div>Today I ran across lots of excited rumors on Particle Physics websites that a Higgs boson might be announced at the upcoming International Conference on High Energy Physics<\/a> in Australia. (The Higgs Boson is a never-observed particle that allegedly “give mass” to particles essentially creating gravity forces<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Should you place a bet that a Higgs particle has been found ?<\/p>\n My answer is closer to —<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u201d than — “that would be extremely silly.\u201d<\/p>\n Why? Remember how a chain is only as strong as the weakest link?<\/p>\n There are a couple of darn weak links in this chain of frenzied rumors.<\/p>\n 1. Only a Signal \u2013 Not a Higgs. <\/p>\n There was a weak signal seen at a mass\/energy of 125 billion electronvolts in 2011 that almost everyone speaks of as though it is a Higgs particle. Even if the signal gains traction with the new 2012 data, there is no evidence that the signal has Higgs properties.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n For comparison a Proton “weighs”<\/a> a bit less than 1 billion electronvolts (0.938 GeV).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 2. The signal is so weak, its reality can’t be discussed outside statistical terms. <\/p>\n As of today, the signal is about as convincing as Bigfoot videos. Even if the signal is confirmed, you will not see \u201cfilm at 11\u201d of the signal on late night news.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Q: Is a Higgs particle important?<\/p>\n A : Slightly. If one is found it might help us understand what we call the \u201cHiggs Field<\/a>.\u201d This is a field (or a set of fields) that provides gravity and mass.<\/p>\n \u201cQ: Are particle physicists sure there\u2019s a Higgs particle?<\/p>\n \u201cA: Absolutely not!<\/a> (ed: Thank you Matt Strassler)<\/p>\n Further reading:<\/p>\n New York Times: New Data on Elusive Particle Shrouded in Secrecy<\/a><\/p>\n Higgs FAQ 1.0 by Matt Strassler<\/a><\/p>\n ICHEP Higgs Rumours = Discovery ?<\/a><\/p>\n Higgs News ?!<\/a> Today I ran across lots of excited rumors on Particle Physics websites that a Higgs boson might be announced at the upcoming International Conference on High Energy Physics in Australia. (The Higgs Boson is a never-observed particle that allegedly “give … Continue reading
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