But Which Higgs?

Summary: So we found the Higgs Boson. Or at least a new particle that is incredibly similar to what we expected the Higgs to look like. But what is it really? While there is the very unexciting possibility that it completely fits the mold of the Standard Model version of the Higgs, there are still other possibilities and more exciting results that come as a bonus.


Symmetry Magazine

Nobel Prize for Higgs discovery

Summary: By now you have probably heard that the Nobel Prize was awarded to Doctors Higgs and Englert for the correct prediction of the existence of a particle to explain mass. While the two of them will split the prize money, it is painfully obvious that this would have been impossible to confirm without the help from thousands of other scientists who will get nothing. Aside, from of course the pride and recognition within the science community which is nothing to scoff at.
I think one of the most adorable things is that Professor Higgs didn't know he had won until a woman congratulated him on the street. He was also very humble when acknowledging not only the experimentalists who proved it, but the other theorists who had reached the conclusion at the same time as him and helped to make it better.



BBC News
New York Times 1 (about the Nobel Prize)
New York Times 2 (Opinion piece on the Nobel prize only going to two theorists)

Wishy-washy Higgs

Summary: The inconsistencies and weird things in the data that lead scientists to announce the discovery of a new particle back in July, curiously still remain. It seems to be a difference in measurement that makes the difference.

There have also been hints of other weird science occurring that frankly does not make much sense to me, but something about particles flattening and gaining gluons as they reach the speed of light, possibly being observed.

Either way, next week the LHC will shift into a new phase before being shut down for upgrading at the beginning of 2013. Not to worry though, they still have tons of data to analyze.


NewScientist
Higgs:http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23003-higgs-boson-having-an-identity-crisis.html
flat particles: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22556-lhc-sees-hint-of-highspeed-particle-pancake.html

New particle found, possible Higgs

Summary: Scientists at CERN have announced the discovery of what seems to be a new particle. They do not know if it is the Higgs Boson, though it is in the right area, and they don't have a high enough degree of certainty to call it a formal discovery. However it is close enough to yield celebration all over the physics community. BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18702455 Symmetry Mag: http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/breaking/2012/07/04/search-for-higgs-boson-at-large-hadron-collider-reveals-new-particle/ Video of press conference: cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1459604 Follow CERN on twitter for all the latest updates.