The God Particle: Believing and Seeing

Vatican Radio ^ | 7/6/12

[marshmallow]

“The fact that we see this harmony in nature, like the harmony that is in the Higgs particle, the fact that we now have a mechanism and a particle that is able to explain how to give mass to other particles, is not against the fact hat there is a benevolent God who created the Universe”, says Theoretical Physicist and Italian Jesuit Fr. Gabriele Gionti of the Vatican Observatory.

Listen to the full interview with Emer McCarthy: RealAudio MP3

The Higgs boson has been called “the missing cornerstone of physics”, even the “God particle” but until Wednesday, it only existed as a theory, first imagined by a man named Peter Higgs in the 1960’s. He, together with Francois Englert and Robert Brout believed in the existence of a subatomic particle that was the building block for matter. They believed in it long before they had any evidence of its existence.

Over the past 50 years thousands of scientists worldwide have dedicated their lives to hunting it down, until two independent teams based at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) announced they had arrived at the same discovery, a boson they believe may be the sought after Higgs.

Fr. Gionti underlines the importance of this discovery, cautioning however that the data still has to be processed: “I have been to CERN a couple of times and seen all the excitement that the people there have regarding this discovery”.

Two CERN laboratories, working independently of each other to avoid bias, found the new particle in the mass region of around 125-126 Gigaelectronvolts (GeV). According to Fr. Gionti: “this discovery could mean the Standard Model is correct”. This is a theory that identifies the building blocks for matter and the particles that convey fundamental forces. The Higgs boson is believed.......

[muir_redwoods]

There is no direct connection between the Higgs boson and theology. The stupid, irreverent name given to the particle is the result, once again, of sloppy, careless journalism. No scientist would use such an insulting term.

[MCF]

I understand that Higgs himself does not like the term.

[dmz]

I read the other day that it was shortened to the God particle from an expression that cannot be used or hinted at on the religion forum.

[muir_redwoods]

If I were to name a particle after the Deity, I might pick the electron/photon since it carries the energy, binds the elements, act as both wave and particle snd illuminates all. But that’s just me.

[eCSMaster]

“Let there be Light.”

[Wizdum]

Higgs bosun is more inferred than observed. The data points to it, but doesn't specifically attribute it.

Now, the question will be.......What is Higgs bosun made of?

[2001convSVT]

I read that they came up with the name “God Particle” to get funding, it was easier to get money to research the existence of a “God Particle” (which cost how much to build CERN?) than for a Higg’s Boson.