In this blog post, I will explain in an easy and interesting way why the Higgs boson is called the “God particle” and its scientific significance.
Confirmation of the existence of the God particle, the Higgs boson
The headline “Confirmation of the existence of the God particle, the Higgs boson” was a common headline in the news on October 4, 2013. An international research team, including the University of Tokyo and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, discovered the existence of the Higgs boson, and news and real-time search rankings were filled with Higgs boson stories. Let’s learn about the Higgs boson, which was called the God particle and heated up the scientific community, and won the 2013 Nobel Prize.
What is the Higgs boson?
To understand what the Higgs boson is, we need to know about the forces and components of matter that exist in nature. There are four forces in nature: gravity, weak force, electromagnetic force, and strong force. The components of matter are determined by considering the source of these forces. Currently, the scientific community analyzes the components of matter using a method called the Standard Model. In the standard model, matter is divided into atoms, which are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. And if these are further divided, they are made up of 17 particles: six quarks (heavy particles), six leptons (light particles), and four force-carrying particles (the Higgs particle). This standard model has been established as the most reliable theoretical system through various experimental verifications, and the current scientific community is explained based on the standard model. Among them, the Higgs particle is the particle that gives mass to the remaining 16 components.
The process of discovering the Higgs particle
The 16 particles, excluding the Higgs boson, have already been discovered through experiments. Therefore, scientists from various countries conducted experiments using particle accelerators to discover the last particle, the Higgs boson. A particle accelerator is a machine that can accelerate objects to very high speeds. The Higgs boson was discovered using this machine to accelerate two objects at very high speeds and colliding them to analyze the particles that emerge. Even before October 4, particles thought to be the Higgs boson were discovered, but there was no certainty. This time, it was proven to be the Higgs boson with a probability of over 99.99%, making it an official discovery.
The value of the discovery of the Higgs boson
As mentioned above, the current scientific community is based on the Standard Model. Since no situation has emerged that deviates from the Standard Model while using the Standard Model, the Standard Model was thought to be correct, but no evidence could be presented to prove its accuracy. Then, the Higgs boson was discovered, and evidence was found that the Standard Model is accurate. Therefore, the scientific achievements made so far have become valid. Stephen Hawking once said, “If the Higgs boson had not been discovered, the scientific community would have been more enjoyable.” This is because if the Higgs boson had not been discovered, the Standard Model would not have been confirmed, and if the Standard Model were to be proven wrong, the scientific content that has been established so far could be changed, which would be a turning point for the scientific community. As such, the discovery of the Higgs boson was an important event that gave validity to the scientific community and marked a turning point for the scientific community.
Giving mass to the Higgs particle
As mentioned above, the Higgs particle has the property of giving mass to matter. In reality, the Higgs does not give mass to matter, but the Higgs particle is generated in the process of giving mass by the Higgs mechanism. The Higgs mechanism is very difficult to understand, and can be explained using the analogy of a magnet. Magnets have polarity, which is caused by the electrons of the atoms in the magnet being attracted in a certain direction. This polarity causes objects to stick to the magnet, and it takes force to pull them off. This force can be seen as mass. In other words, one of the particles has a certain directionality and attracts surrounding particles, and mass and Higgs particles are generated in this process. Therefore, by discovering the Higgs particle, we can get a glimpse of how matter acquires mass.
God’s particle?
The Higgs is called the God’s particle. This reflects the scientific community’s idea of existence. The scientific community believes that things with mass exist. Therefore, the Higgs particle, which gives mass to matter, creates the existence of matter. This existence that creates matter, that is, the existence that creates, is compared to God, and the Higgs particle is given the modifier God’s particle. Because of these points, the discovery of the Higgs particle has been at odds with religion.
The Higgs particle and the origin of the universe
The discovery of the Higgs boson also had a major impact on our understanding of the origin of the universe. After the Big Bang, the early universe was very hot and dense, and all particles were massless. As the universe expanded and cooled over time, the Higgs field was created, and particles gained mass. This process played an important role in determining the structure and properties of the universe. Therefore, the discovery of the Higgs boson goes beyond being a mere physical achievement and provides important clues to explaining the origin of the universe and our existence.
Conclusion
So far, we have learned about the Higgs boson. The Higgs boson was discovered on October 4, 2013, through the particle accelerator and is currently responsible for assigning mass in the Standard Model that explains the scientific world. It was last found in the standard model, which proved the standard model and has given validity to the discoveries of the scientific community so far. It has also been given the epithet “God particle” because of its role in giving mass to matter. I hope that the discovery of the Higgs boson, which has made great strides in the scientific community, will help you understand the scientific community more closely.
