Tag: physics
Five of the biggest unsolved mysteries of physics
CERN announces an update on the search for the Higgs Boson
Not there yet: CERN announces an update on the search for the Higgs Boson.
The main conclusion is that the Standard Model Higgs boson, if it exists, is most likely to have a mass constrained to the range 116-130 GeV by the ATLAS experiment, and 115-127 GeV by CMS. Tantalising hints have been seen by both experiments in this mass region, but these are not yet strong enough to claim a discovery.
Not there yet: CERN announces an update on the search for the Higgs Boson.
The main conclusion is that the Standard Model Higgs boson, if it exists, is most likely to have a mass constrained to the range 116-130 GeV by the ATLAS experiment, and 115-127 GeV by CMS. Tantalising hints have been seen by both experiments in this mass region, but these are not yet strong enough to claim a discovery.
Higgs announcement from CERN on December 13
CERN will be making an announcement on the status of its search for the Higgs particle on December 13. From this interview of one of its scientists:
The thing I know for sure is that [CERN Director General] Rolf-Dieter Heuer, who must know the results of both experiments, says that on December 13 we will not have a discovery and we will not have an exclusion.
The inteview is fascinating, as he notes how the Higgs research might also have a bearing on the search for dark matter.
CERN will be making an announcement on the status of its search for the Higgs particle on December 13. From this interview of one of its scientists:
The thing I know for sure is that [CERN Director General] Rolf-Dieter Heuer, who must know the results of both experiments, says that on December 13 we will not have a discovery and we will not have an exclusion.
The inteview is fascinating, as he notes how the Higgs research might also have a bearing on the search for dark matter.
Recent results from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have found no evidence of dark matter, a result in some conflict with data obtained from several underground research detectors.
The uncertainty of science: Recent results from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have found no evidence of dark matter, a result in some conflict with data obtained from several underground research detectors.
The mystery here is that there is no doubt that something causes the outer objects in galaxies to move faster than expected. Scientists have labeled this something as dark matter, guessing that some undetected and unknown mass exists in the outer reaches of galaxies, thereby increasing the gravity potential and hence the velocity in which objects move.
The problem is that they have yet to identify what that dark matter is.
The uncertainty of science: Recent results from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have found no evidence of dark matter, a result in some conflict with data obtained from several underground research detectors.
The mystery here is that there is no doubt that something causes the outer objects in galaxies to move faster than expected. Scientists have labeled this something as dark matter, guessing that some undetected and unknown mass exists in the outer reaches of galaxies, thereby increasing the gravity potential and hence the velocity in which objects move.
The problem is that they have yet to identify what that dark matter is.
Multiple dark matter experiments produce multiple results
The uncertainty of science: Multiple dark matter experiments produce multiple results.
The uncertainty of science: Multiple dark matter experiments produce multiple results.
A team of Italian scientists have reviewed the earlier faster-than-light neutrino results and have rejected them.
Not so fast: A team of Italian scientists have reviewed the earlier faster-than-light neutrino results and have rejected them.
Not so fast: A team of Italian scientists have reviewed the earlier faster-than-light neutrino results and have rejected them.
The hunt for the “God Particle” enters the final stretch
The hunt for the “God Particle” enters the final stretch. And scientists might find it doesn’t exist!
The hunt for the “God Particle” enters the final stretch. And scientists might find it doesn’t exist!
How much does the internet weigh?
Has dark matter been identified?
From a paper published today on the Los Alamos astro-ph preprint website, scientists suggest that three different physics experiments might have identified dark matter. From the abstract:
Three dark matter direct detection experiments (DAMA/LIBRA, CoGeNT, and CRESST-II) have each reported signals which are not consistent with known backgrounds, but resemble that predicted for a dark matter particle with a mass of roughly ~10 GeV. . . . In this article, we compare the signals of these experiments and discuss whether they can be explained by a single species of dark matter particle, without conflicting with the constraints of other experiments. We find that the spectrum of events reported by CoGeNT and CRESST-II are consistent with each other and with the constraints from CDMS-II, although some tension with xenon-based experiments remains. Similarly, the modulation signals reported by DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT appear to be compatible, although the corresponding amplitude of the observed modulations are a factor of at least a few higher than would be naively expected, based on the event spectra reported by CoGeNT and CRESST-II. This apparent discrepancy could potentially be resolved if tidal streams or other non-Maxwellian structures are present in the local distribution of dark matter.
The last sentence above suggests that the differences between the various experiments might be explained by the motion of dark matter itself as it flows through the solar system.
This conclusion is very tentative. The scientists admit that there remain conflicts between the results of the three experiments, and that there also could be explanations other than dark matter for the results. Furthermore, the results of other experiments raise questions about this conclusion.
Nonetheless, it appears that physicists might be closing in on this most ghostlike of all particles in the universe.
The increasing possibility that the Higgs Boson does not exist
The increasing evidence that the Higgs Boson does not exist.
The increasing evidence that the Higgs Boson does not exist.
Early hints of the Higgs boson fade with fresh data.
Early hints that scientists had found the Higgs boson at CERN have faded with fresh data.
New data presented today at the Lepton Photon conference in Mumbai, India, show the signal fading. It means that “this excess is probably just a statistical fluctuation”, says Adam Falkowski, a theorist at the University of Paris-South in Orsay, France.
Early hints that scientists had found the Higgs boson at CERN have faded with fresh data.
New data presented today at the Lepton Photon conference in Mumbai, India, show the signal fading. It means that “this excess is probably just a statistical fluctuation”, says Adam Falkowski, a theorist at the University of Paris-South in Orsay, France.
The Pioneer anomaly is fading
The Pioneer anomaly is fading.
The analysis shows that the anomaly is not constant, as researchers had believed, but is decreasing with time. The finding points toward a conventional explanation of the phenomenon, most likely asymmetric radiation of heat, and against some of the more exotic proposals.
The Pioneer anomaly is fading.
The analysis shows that the anomaly is not constant, as researchers had believed, but is decreasing with time. The finding points toward a conventional explanation of the phenomenon, most likely asymmetric radiation of heat, and against some of the more exotic proposals.
Better constants in science
More precise constants in science.
The numbers include reduced uncertainties for several key constants, which physicists say is encouraging because these will allow for better tests of theory. The more precise figures will also aid plans to redefine familiar units of measurement, such as the kelvin and the kilogram, in terms of unchanging fundamental constants rather than relying on a material object that might not be stable (as for the kilogram standard).
More precise constants in science.
The numbers include reduced uncertainties for several key constants, which physicists say is encouraging because these will allow for better tests of theory. The more precise figures will also aid plans to redefine familiar units of measurement, such as the kelvin and the kilogram, in terms of unchanging fundamental constants rather than relying on a material object that might not be stable (as for the kilogram standard).
CERN collider sees tantalizing hint of Higgs particle
The CERN Large Hadron Collider has seen a tantalizing hint of the Higgs particle.
The CERN Large Hadron Collider has seen a tantalizing hint of the Higgs particle.
Richard Feynman talks about light
Fermilab confirms Japanese particle physics results that could explain lack of antimatter in the universe
Fermilab has confirmed the Japanese particle physics experiment from two weeks ago suggesting that muon neutrinos can morph into electron neutrinos.
The results of these two experiments could have implications for our understanding of the role that neutrinos may have played in the evolution of the universe. If muon neutrinos transform into electron neutrinos, neutrinos could be the reason that the big bang produced more matter than antimatter, leading to the universe as it exists today
Fermilab has confirmed the Japanese particle physics experiment from two weeks ago suggesting that muon neutrinos can morph into electron neutrinos.
The results of these two experiments could have implications for our understanding of the role that neutrinos may have played in the evolution of the universe. If muon neutrinos transform into electron neutrinos, neutrinos could be the reason that the big bang produced more matter than antimatter, leading to the universe as it exists today
Underground Physics Lab to Cost U.S. Energy Department at Least $1.2 Billion
A new report released today says a new underground physics lab will cost the Energy Department from $1.2 to $2.2 billion.
Though I know the science is worthwhile and we should be doing it, I also can’t help ask this question: Where the hell are we going to get the money?
A new report released today says a new underground physics lab will cost the Energy Department from $1.2 to $2.2 billion.
Though I know the science is worthwhile and we should be doing it, I also can’t help ask this question: Where the hell are we going to get the money?
Physicists have captured atoms of antimatter now for more than 15 minutes
In new research at CERN physicists now have captured atoms of antimatter for more than 15 minutes.
In new research at CERN physicists now have captured atoms of antimatter for more than 15 minutes.
Experiment fails to find dark matter
The uncertainty of science: An underground experiment in Italy has failed to detect dark matter, as theorized by scientists.
In a paper published online last night, the XENON100 researchers report three events detected during a 100-day run of the experiment last year that might have been due to dark matter1. However, as they expected to see between 1.2 and 2.4 background events — interactions mostly caused by a radioactive contaminant in the xenon — their result is statistically negative and therefore rules out the existence of many of the more strongly interacting and heavier WIMPs.
The uncertainty of science: An underground experiment in Italy has failed to detect dark matter, as theorized by scientists.
In a paper published online last night, the XENON100 researchers report three events detected during a 100-day run of the experiment last year that might have been due to dark matter1. However, as they expected to see between 1.2 and 2.4 background events — interactions mostly caused by a radioactive contaminant in the xenon — their result is statistically negative and therefore rules out the existence of many of the more strongly interacting and heavier WIMPs.
Mine Fire Threatens Physics Laboratory
A fire in a Minnesota mine is threatening an underground physics laboratory.
A fire in a Minnesota mine is threatening an underground physics laboratory.
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
Scientists succeed in trapping atoms of anti-matter for the first time
For the first time scientists succeed in trapping atoms of anti-matter. Key quote:
The team know the trap worked because they made about 10 million antihydrogen atoms which promptly obliterated themselves. Then they turned off their new trap and saw 38 more obliterations — meaning those 38 antihydrogens stuck in the trap.
For the first time scientists succeed in trapping atoms of anti-matter. Key quote:
The team know the trap worked because they made about 10 million antihydrogen atoms which promptly obliterated themselves. Then they turned off their new trap and saw 38 more obliterations — meaning those 38 antihydrogens stuck in the trap.
For the First Time Ever, Scientists Watch an Atom’s Electrons Moving in Real Time
For the first time, scientists watch an atom’s electrons moving in real time.
For the first time, scientists watch an atom’s electrons moving in real time.
The invention of the CD player
Want to know who invented the basic technology that made possible CD and DVD players possible? Take a look at this restrospective describing the discovery, from Physical Review Focus of the American Physcial Society.
Want to know who invented the basic technology that made possible CD and DVD players possible? Take a look at this restrospective describing the discovery, from Physical Review Focus of the American Physcial Society.