The physicists say they have discovered a particle consistent with the Higgs boson, a theoretical particle that is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research or CERN said the discovery was a milestone in the understanding of nature.
Physicists stressed the results presented at a joint conference in Melbourne and Geneva were preliminary.
They were unsure if the particle was the long sought-after Higgs boson, or God particle, or something more "exotic".
"The next step will be to determine the precise nature of the particle and its significance for our understanding of the universe," a CERN statement said.
CERN director general Rolf Heuer said it was a milestone.
"We have reached a milestone in our understanding of nature," he said.
"The discovery of a particle consistent with the Higgs boson opens the way to more detailed studies, requiring larger statistics, which will pin down the new particle's properties, and is likely to shed light on other mysteries of our universe."
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-tech/scientists-may-have-found-god-particle/story-fn5fsgyc-1226417165748#ixzz1zeAskbtr
THE practical benefits of the "God particle" are difficult for physicists to explain because they are potentially so far reaching.
ReplyDeleteThe global scientific community is abuzz about the 30-year search for the Higgs boson or the God particle, a theoretical particle that is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
But it is difficult to envisage the practical applications of the search being undertaken using the $10 billion Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator, 100 metres underground near Geneva.
Peter Jenni, a senior physicist at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research or CERN, said there were many examples of how physics had shaped our daily life.
"You probably have an iPhone or a smart phone," Dr Jenni told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday.
"Without some basic physics, centuries ago ... we wouldn't have this.
"What we hope is to fix now the understanding of the standard model of physics which is the basis of many applications, many things which we actually see in all day life."
The results of the research being done near Geneva could help scientists probe other mysteries of the universe such as the nature of dark matter.
"Of course you never could predict what happens later on," Dr Jenni said.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/god-particle-benefits-tough-to-apply-in-practice/story-e6frfro0-1226417099333#ixzz1zeDCoajj