Cosmic Variance on Dark Matter and Dark Energy

Visit title link. Great article, nicely written and thought provoking.

~KAS

Hadron Collider & Higgs Boson (God Particle)

So, it's October… The Hadron Colider was up for only a few days in early September prior to having an issue with one of the magnets that caused the shut down. As this was an unbelievably complex/large mechanical, electronic and magnetic machine created for a purpose that has not yet been successful at this level: issues were not unexpected. But, now we hear that it will not be up and running until next year.

Can I wait a year to find out about the creation of microscopic black holes , extra dimensions , super symmetric particles and dark matter? Well, of course. And, I am sure it will be just as exciting and wonderful when it does begin producing (hopefully) the many answers we are looking for. Besides, I don't think the questions are going anywhere in the interim.

Of all the possible discoveries (or up close and personal experiences such as the microscopic black holes) There is something that is generating the most anticipation~ the 'God Particle' or Higgs Boson. The Higgs Boson is proposed as the missing link within particle physics that will hopefully help explain the ability of massless particles to become particles with mass. Hence the 'God Particle' as it the link between massless and mass (and you need mass for life.) Hmm.. You say. Well, if a particle is massless; something must affect it in order for a change to occur in order to make the particle portray a mass. This missing (hypothetical) massive scalar elementary particle would hopefully answer this question. It may also allow us to visualize the particle. As an important component of particle physics, its discovery would lead to many new understandings (as well as new and exciting questions of course) that will expand our knowledge of the material world.

For example, it will assist in our understanding of why particles such as quarks and electrons have varying amounts of mass.

The Higgs Boson Theory is that a large collection of particles, like a field, exist all over and cause particles to be restricted in their movement; particles passing through this field are affected in different manners. Some particle's zip right through, with little resistance and in turn little mass. Yet others are caught up in the resistance and are slowed and infringed in their passing through, leading to a larger recognizable mass.


~KAS

Appalachian Trail, White Mountains

Fantastic comparison of Obama vs McCain Science plan

Gone Camping :)

Well, I just got back from camping in the White Mountains (NH) & it was great!! I will post some picture's soon. But, I couldn't exactly blog while camping (smores smudges all over the screen would not be good!)

KAS