Fermilab Finds Possible 'New Particle'

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: Newser.com

Fermilab may have found a brand new elementary particle. The Illinois lab will today announce a strange blip in its data that could represent either a new, unexpected form of the fabled Higgs boson particle, or some entirely new force of nature, the New York Times reports. “Nobody knows what this is,” says one Fermilab theorist who wasn’t on the team. “If it is real, it would be the most significant discovery in physics in half a century.”

The blip could be evidence of a new fundamental force, like gravity or electromagnetism, only this one would manifest only at very short distances, like those inside an atomic nucleus. We’re “strongly thrilled at the possibility, and cautious at the same time,” a spokesman for the team says, “because this would be so important that almost scares us.” The results have circulated in physics circles for months, with some skeptics hoping for a more definitive confirmation from CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.

Read more: http://www.newser.com/story/115759/fermilab-finds-possible-new-particle.html

[The Doctor.]

1. The leading edge of a poly- symmetrical- chrono- homogenous baryonic manifestation

Of an asynchronous quantum field anomaly. In summary; a localized realignment in time from a point in the future when we try something that causes a particulate 'reflection' in all of our readings starting now, and increasing until the point at which the prime catalyst is initiated. Isn't it obvious?

(Either that, or someone spilled coffee on a terminal)

Either way, we're doomed.

[yodermon]

2. hmmm... does that particle fit into here anywhere?

http://deferentialgeometry.org/epe/EPE3.html

[The Doctor.]

36. It may well be sugar, actually.

We'll never know for sure.

[truedelphi]

3. As far as the spilled coffee -

Could caffeine vapors, plus radiation cause "Mothra?"

At least I have moved quite a distance away from this laboratory, and no longer visit it on regular occassions.

[Rex]

15. I want whatever you are smoking.

[The Doctor.]

37. Me too.

:smoke:

[lumberjack_jeff]

35. Make it so, Geordi. n/t

[girl gone mad]

4. Some discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x828983

I posted a link to the Fermilab talk from this afternoon as well as the first paper that has been published based on Dr. Cavaliere's research (the authors believe the new particle is a more massive Z' boson).

Someone else at the talk today said he has another theory which matches these results and will post it tonight, but I couldn't determine who he was. I am not completely convinced that the W+ jet background modeling is good enough in this simulation. I think I heard someone mention they have a technique to improve this so her results can become more clear.

Groups at LHC and DZERO already have data they can run to compare to Tevatron's, so it shouldn't take too long to get some verifications.

ETA: As to why it's such a big deal, though it may not seem like it..

A couple of months ago I was looking through a particle physics textbook I have that was written in the early 1980s. Basically, nothing in that book has changed except for the idea that neutrinos have no mass (now we think they do have a small mass). Other than that, this textbook could have been written last week.

[Fool Count]

13. D0 is one of two detectors on Tevatron,

the other one being CDF which produced the reported results. The two detectors are very different and different analysis will have to be run on
D0 data to confirm this discovery. Will probably take a couple of months.

[girl gone mad]

19. Yes, thanks!

Do you work there? One of my professors worked at Fermilab for many years, but moved to Texas when SSC was being constructed. My only real knowledge of Tevatron outside of papers and textbooks is from the photos he kept in his office. We are still bitter here about SSC being killed. It would have been bigger and better than LHC, 15 years ahead.

[Gamey]

5. Look at the key phrases...

may have

strange blip in its data

either a new, unexpected form of the fabled Higgs boson particle, or some entirely new (should have included BS)

If it is real

strongly thrilled at the possibility

cautious at the same time

results have circulated in physics circles for months (perhaps the most important) - WE NEED FUNDING!

[freshwest]

7. Oh, you got all it there. Thanks. My only question would be-- Can it kill me?

If not, they can feel free to carry on (without my money).

[sudopod]

17. This post is bad and you should feel bad. nt

[joshcryer]

14. Disgusting.

[sudopod]

18. You know what's disgusting?

I'll tell you what's disgusting. Killing the mightiest tool humanity has (LHC is broke again :/ ) for studying the fine structure of the cosmos because it costs 23 million a year to run. That's mostly for parts, electricity, and a handful of full-time scientists.

We've spent 55 million prosecuting Barry Bond's for god's sake. Now that's sick, isn't it?

[TacticalPeek]

6. I hope they get this figured out before Saturday.

Fermilab theorist = federal bureaucrat

[freshwest]

8. Wow, what happens Saturday?

[TacticalPeek]

9. The way things look right now,

government shutdown.

[freshwest]

12. oh, yeah, that.

[riderinthestorm]

10. Fermi is desperate for a way to stay open. CERN has sucked the air out of Fermi

Their funding is cut and they are hurting. I really hope this is viable. This is literally in my backyard. I hope it turns out to be something spectacular and keeps the place running.

[Gamey]

11. Spectacular or not....

...funding is worthy, but questionable.

No one gets funding merely because they get it.

[joshcryer]

16. I have no doubt that it's viable.

This isn't some bullshit "oh they're releasing this for funding" shit.

[Judi Lynn]

20. US atom smasher may have found new force of nature

Source: Agence France-Presse

US atom smasher may have found new force of nature
by Kerry Sheridan Kerry Sheridan – 28 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Data from a major US atom smasher lab may have revealed a new elementary particle, or potentially a new force of nature that could expand our knowledge of the properties of matter, physicists say.

The science world was abuzz with excitement Wednesday over the findings, which could offer clues to the persistent riddle of mass and how objects obtain it -- one of the most sought-after answers in all of physics.

But experts cautioned that more analysis was needed over the next several months to uncover the true nature of the observation, which comes as part of an ongoing experiment with proton and antiproton collisions to understand the workings of the universe.

"There could be some new force beyond the force that we know," said Giovanni Punzi, a physicist with the international research team that is analyzing the data from the US Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110407/sc_afp/scienceusphysics_20110407070803

[aquart]

21. Can it stop Fukushima?

[harmonicon]

22. Can it cure cancer?

[Tunkamerica]

23. yes.

no.

[gholtron]

33. Can it stop the rethugs

Wait a minute. . . . That would be us. The new force.

[8 track mind]

24. good.

does this mean i can finally have warp drive?

[DCKit]

26. Only if you really want to escape this particular reality.

Then, you're just a total pussy.

[Confusious]

29. We can

If you can get some negative energy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive

[Bosonic]

25. more discussion on the significance of this discovery

or rather the additional significance required before it is a discovery here:

http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2011/04/have_we_discovered_new_physics.php?utm_source=networkbanner&utm_medium=link

[intaglio]

28. thanks n/t

[dipsydoodle]

27. For those with the time and the inclination check this out.

BBC Horizon - What Is Reality.

Part 1 of 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO1UJXS2o34

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiXtTcZSw2M&feature=related

Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_LtB2hRyD8&feature=related

Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHxLGCYxo_Y&feature=related

Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq9lJBc9YMc&feature=related

Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_JDIalVkdo&feature=related

Helps understand the significance for the missing particle

Good morning Judi :hi:

[SemperEadem]

30. thank you so much for posting this

I love science programs.

[dipsydoodle]

31. There are loads of BBC Horizon programs from over the years.

Use this basic search link to find more : http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bbc+horizon&aq=f

Having found a title then if you google the exact name and then go into videos some of them are posted in their entirety.

Its different for me, I'm here UK , so see them all on TV anyway.

:hi:

[Hubert Flottz]

32. Thanks for the links.

:thumbsup:

[snooper2]

34. I knew they would find Jesus

It was only a matter of time :)