Discovery of the Higgs Field Behind the God Particle

The Higgs field is the theoretical field of energy that permeates the universe, according to the theory put forth in 1964 by Scottish theoretical physicist Peter Higgs. Higgs suggested the field as a possible explanation for how the fundamental particles of the universe came to have mass, because in the 1960s the Standard Model of quantum physics actually couldnt explain the reason for mass itself. He proposed that this field existed throughout all of space and that particles gained their mass by interacting with it. Discovery of the Higgs Field Though there was initially no experimental confirmation for the theory, over time it came to be seen as the only explanation for mass that was widely viewed as consistent with the rest of the Standard Model. As strange as it seemed, the Higgs mechanism (as the Higgs field was sometimes called) was generally accepted widely among physicists, along with the rest of the Standard Model. One consequence of the theory was that the Higgs field could manifest as a particle, much in the way that other fields in quantum physics manifest as particles. This particle is called the Higgs boson. Detecting the Higgs boson became a major goal of experimental physics, but the problem is that the theory didnt actually predict the mass of the Higgs boson. If you caused particle collisions in a particle accelerator with enough energy, the Higgs boson should manifest, but without knowing the mass that they were looking for, physicists werent sure how much energy would need to go into the collisions. One of the driving hopes was that the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) would have sufficient energy to generate Higgs bosons experimentally since it was more powerful than any other particle accelerators that had been built before. On July 4, 2012, physicists from the LHC announced that they found experimental results consistent with the Higgs boson, though further observations are needed to confirm this and to determine the various physical properties of the Higgs boson. The evidence in support of this has grown, to the extent that the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Peter Higgs and Francois Englert. As physicists determine the properties of the Higgs boson, it will help them more fully understand the physical properties of the Higgs field itself. Brian Greene on the Higgs Field One of the best explanations of the Higgs field is this one from Brian Greene, presented on the July 9 episode of PBS Charlie Rose Show, when he appeared on the program with experimental physicist Michael Tufts to discuss the announced discovery of the Higgs boson: Mass is the resistance an object offers to having its speed changed. You take a baseball. When you throw it, your arm feels resistance. A shotput, you feel that resistance. The same way for particles. Where does the resistance come from? And the theory was put forward that perhaps space was filled with an invisible stuff, an invisible molasses-like stuff, and when the particles try to move through the molasses, they feel a resistance, a stickiness. Its that stickiness which is where their mass comes from. ... That creates the mass.... ... its an elusive invisible stuff. You dont see it. You have to find some way to access it. And the proposal, which now seems to bear fruit, is if you slam protons together, other particles, at very, very high speeds, which is what happens at the Large Hadron Collider... you slam the particles together at very high speeds, you can sometimes jiggle the molasses and sometimes flick out a little speck of the molasses, which would be a Higgs particle. So people have looked for that little speck of a particle and now it looks like its been found. The Future of the Higgs Field If the results from the LHC pan out, then as we determine the nature of the Higgs field, well get a more complete picture of how quantum physics manifests in our universe. Specifically, well gain a better understanding of mass, which may, in turn, give us a better understanding of gravity. Currently, the Standard Model of quantum physics does not account for gravity (though it fully explains the other ​fundamental forces of physics). This experimental guidance may help theoretical physicists hone in on a theory of quantum gravity that applies to our universe. It may even help physicists understand the mysterious matter in our universe, called dark matter, that cannot be observed except through gravitational influence. Or, potentially, a greater understanding of the Higgs field may provide some insights into the repulsive gravity demonstrated by the dark energy that seems to permeate our observable universe.

Essay about Writing an Ethnography - 2331 Words

â€Å"In any war story, but especially a true one, its difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen.† - Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried It is not only war stories that create confusion, both for their writers, and their readers, about the nature of the truth they tell. Is the truth in a â€Å"true† story what the writer experienced, or the truth of what â€Å"really† happened? If the story is about other people, is the truth what the writer sees them do, or what they think they are doing? If the writer does not know the whole truth, does the story become false? All these questions become even more pertinent if posed about ethnographies. An ethnography is, by nature, meant to be a description of a people (the dictionary†¦show more content†¦Ethnography has undergone a process of drastic evolution (or, some might say, oscillation) in the century or so that it has existed as an anthropological tool. Many aspects of ethnography have changed between two extremes that I will term â€Å"traditional† ethnography and â€Å"postmodern† ethnography. Everything from the declared goal of the anthropologist to the approach to possible objectivity or subjectivity of the anthropologist’s writing, from views on the concept of culture to the ethnography’s intended audience, even to choice of topic to explore, has changed. I will explore these differences using Coming of Age in Samoa by Margaret Mead as an example of traditional ethnography, and Poetics of Military Occupation by Smadar Lavie as an example of postmodern eth nography. Veiled Sentiments by Lila Abu-Lughod will serve as something of a mix, poised between the two extremes. I must first, however, explain my choice of â€Å"postmodern† as a label for the kind of ethnography that Smadar Lavie produced in 1990 (based on fieldwork done throughout the 70’s). The aspect of postmodernism that I embrace in characterizing Poetics of Military Occupation as postmodern is postmodernism’s abandonment of the concept of an absolute truth. The definition of postmodernism offered by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler as â€Å"a worldview characterized by the belief that truth doesn’t exist in any objective sense but is created rather than discovered† serves well to illustrate the waysShow MoreRelatedCollaborative Ethnography Essay1629 Words   |  7 Pagesethnographers believe that it is the way we interpret information that must be studied and that the voice of societies should be advocated through an informant. They also b elieve that to do this the use of collaborative ethnography is of vital importance. Collaborative ethnography is a relationship between ethnographers and informants. 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Sterk and Philippe Bourgois are two of the anthropologists that emphasize their relationships and the importance of gainingRead MoreEssay about The Role of Reflexivity in Ethnography1395 Words   |  6 PagesThe Role of Reflexivity in Ethnography Reflexivity, as I understand it, is very well named.It is the practice of reflecting upon oneself and one’s work, of being self-aware and self-critical. In anthropology, it is well exemplified by the work of Renato Rosaldo, Ruth Behar, and Dorinne Kondo, among others. 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What is civilisation Free Essays

Asia but the crucial area for its development was the fertile crescent. China and America soon followed with the development of agriculture. Agriculture is the first sign that shows humans beginning to control nature. We will write a custom essay sample on What is civilisation ? or any similar topic only for you Order Now When enough food was available, people started settling down resulting into more complex developments belonging to civilization. Soon after settling down the domestication of animals began, Only 14 of the animals urine that time were suitable for domestication. Mom requirements for the animals (not all animals had all these attributes) were: Power used in travel and agriculture (e. G. Horse), relatively short maturing time, the ability to produce food such as milk or honey. After these Important developments the wheel, writing, pottery, metaphorically and highly complex houses and monuments were built. This was mostly due to the time people now had (thanks to agriculture and the domestication of animals) to think rather than hunt and gather. Along with highly developed physical objects/items also employ social methods thrived. A sophisticated legal system was formed to solve issues and labor was devised between people (instead of everyone doing the same work). Writing was invented and along with this the study of nature and education became recognized. Philosophical ideas grew and became morals for people. A large piece of our civilization Is due to luck In where our ancestors decided to settle down. We can still see some affects of it today, such as the difference between America (America had very protein rich food) and New Guiana (New Guiana 1 OFF ere ideal the population of a civilization started to grow. Mortality went down but then again disease spread more eagerly. When population grew, a certain hierarchy grew along it. Hierarchy was also present during the Paleolithic age, but now there were more factors and professions that could be classed. People who had some special skill or profession were respected (e. G. Priest or a person who could write). Religion and politics were more separate than before as well. Civilization can never be simply defined, as people have very different views on it. Different subcultures and tribes may have their own concept of it. The standard western definition in my opinion is this: A collection of many factors that enable us to be in control of our surroundings (nature, animals our social lives) and where technology, systems and living conditions are highly advanced. A large population is needed to sustain all these systems. My view and differences between sources In the PDF file about ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt most facts are told without much further explanation or criticism. During our classes Vive noticed, that we must question things to find the best definition for ourselves. Overall there aren’t many differences between the â€Å"facts† told to us from both sources. I enjoy both methods thoroughly and they give a very clear explanation together. One main impact of civilization is that it makes our lives easier via all the inventions. Many people don’t take care of their physical health even though, ! 2 Homo Sapiens were built to hunt and gather. One aspect of civilization, domestication, is useful if not necessary, but it’s MIS-used and we’re killing the planet that we live in (high ICC emissions, cutting down rain forests). We should take example from uncivilized people who mostly respect nature and live mainly on it’s demands. These people could teach us a lot about communication, and how life could be better in general (by being more simple without advanced technology). In my view humans should create more echo-friendly technology and should consume less (e. G. Food and clothes). Civilization shouldn’t go back in time to when it was â€Å"better† ,but instead be offered to all those who want it, and develop more ideas and inventions that compromise between us and nature. How to cite What is civilisation ?, Papers