The Large Hadron Collider is back up and running, but what the heck is the big ring thing all about? We present our bluffer's guide to the fun, frolics, facts and physics that powers the most expensive thingamabob ever built. What's the LHC, what's it doing, and why? All will be revealed -- with no maths required. When you're done, make sure you check out our, er, in-depth interview with one of the scientists who works there.
What is CERN?
CERN does particle physics, which means studying the fundamental particles -- the basic constituents of matter. The goal is to find out what the universe is made of and how it works.
The instruments used at CERN are particle accelerators and detectors. Accelerators boost beams of particles to high energies before they're made to collide with each other or with stationary targets. Detectors observe and record the results of these collisions. From these results, scientists learn about a particle's properties, such as mass and charge.
What is the 'hadron' in the Large Hadron Collider?
There are 17 known fundamental particles -- six quarks, six leptons and five bosons (not counting the theoretical Higgs boson) -- and their corresponding anti-particles. They are called 'fundamental' or 'elementary' particles because they have no smaller constituent parts.
The quarks combine in various combinations to form other particles, such as protons and neutrons. Collectively, all the particles that are made up of quarks are called 'hadrons'. The LHC collides protons, which are hadrons -- that's why it's called the Large Hadron Collider.
Bosons -- not to be confused with rum-swilling, cat-swinging bosuns -- are the force-carrying particles. Examples of bosons are the photon and the hypothetical Higgs boson, which is being sought by the Atlas and CMS experiments at the LHC.
All this knowledge about the fundamental particles and how they interact is called the 'standard model' -- but there's more to discover, and that's the goal of the LHC.
What is the Higgs boson?
We don't know what causes the fundamental particles to have masses. There's a theory that mass comes from the particles interacting with an (as yet unobserved) particle called the Higgs boson. The more they interact, the heavier they become, whereas particles that never interact are left with no mass at all.
The Higgs boson is named after physicist Peter Higgs. Its nickname is 'the God particle'. Higgs himself calls it "the particle named after me".
Click 'Continue' below to find out more about the Large Hadron Collider, or watch our Bluffer's Guide below.
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Comments 26
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Nabuos 2 August, 2010 06:36
Religion is the worst aberration of thought ever invented; it enslaves the creative powers of man's mind. It makes excuses for our existence and defines nothing to the reality of our existence. All scientific endeavors are premised in a philosophical hypothesis. The very nature of our existence forges us to come to an understanding of that which we do not understand. The methods of physical application offer only a fraction of that understanding. The creative powers of imagination, on the other hand, offer a direct path to that understanding. If you consider yourself as a field of conscious energy, then you can quickly come to the point that life in itself is conscious energy ... this includes every life form in existence. From this perspective, one can hypothesize that the vast inter galactic space is a universal state of consciousness and that the particles that we can observe are the singularity of a unit of energy a packet of information, "knowledge" oscillating at various frequencies, our biological framework are frequency tuners decoding each frequency to manifest based on our former understanding. Engaging the imagination tunes us into these higher apparent invisible frequencies and like that of the polar particles that cause an electrical charge in lightening to strike … the burst of energy released in our minds is the insight of information of that once dormant particle as a singularity is now the understanding that we sought to understand. The mystery of God can now be laid to rest when we understand that it is this universal consciousness that is expressed as the individualization of every life form ... this universal consciousness that is in reality One with all that is … is the mind of God. The point relative to the subject matter is this … the scientist trying to prove a greater understanding of that which they don’t know –would make faster progress in getting to that understanding by holding this perspective as the premise of their endeavor. As it written, “Acknowledge God in all of your affairs and your life will reward a blessing.†The beauty in all of this is that it doesn’t have to cost billions-of dollars to come to the understanding of that which we seek to find. Everything that is to be known is already known within you. Therefore the only worthy endeavor worth exploring is yourself …Socrates said it precisely, “Know thyself.â€
Anonymous 15 August, 2010 02:13
I believe in God.........
However, I implore you [of faith or faith of none] to read. Please do not simply disregard and refuse further read this entry based upon it's entrance. Think about this; for words on one's mind to be forward to yours, tis not this which brings wilt to your integrity. An Author's power to manipulate is only as strong as his readers beliefs are weak and, those of you who are sure of yourselves are the most foolish of us all. I say this because; (be you sure in your religion, sure in your science or sure in any family of such) upon come you a realizeation that [strong] belief were found false, you will "most surely" find a devastating truth in the expectations so great hold you now. You learn that the strongest part of a see-saw is the part at half way and, that to be on either end is to be an absolute. It is easy for a child to mistake such as the high end of a see-saw as an attainable point however he will reach but, in reality we know; no matter how many times he tries to reach that false summit, once you pass half way you're headed back down. Why can't we just learn from this and, stop aiming for the absolute end of every spectrum we come to?
I believe that the path [of least resistance] makes crooked streams accross our land and crooked thoughts accross our minds.
Anonymous 15 August, 2010 02:15
The mindset of domination is absolute. Regardless of intentions.
I carry a bible in my vehicle. I've never read it. I've only to hear the word within as it is quoted aloud on a Sunday morning.
So what do I think about quantum physics? I think it is an amazing field of study which may lead us out of the technological gridlock in which we seem to be stuck. If it can bring some light upon the things we men find unable to agree upon then it can't be anything but good. If it fails to bring resolution and yields only restitution it still will have been worth the cost because, the end to which our species is bound, be that of a miserable stint in the depths of hell. Unless answers to the dire questions (which have been avoided for too long) are somehow found, our species will die out soon enough as a victim to itself. If not " " " "global warming" " " "tut tut (death by our own sword) then death by the sword of some unseen force. Either way, if we die due to our own pathetic ignorance, our inability to get along and our lack to focus a unified global think tank on the issues of most import then we deserve the pain we are about to endure.
Why do I not trust the word of the bible? Because over the last 2000 years this book was repeatedly used as a lever, by the most wicked of men (Kings, Queens, Ruthless dictators of every manner) and, these men had control, of not only the church but of the bible itself. Many strangely interpretted texts which exist within the bible are obviously rewritten askew of their original meaning. Evil has skewed the truth in every way imagineable. Just like the American government. We started off with the intention to form a more perfect union but by now we've become so complicated and corrupt that it's quite hard to believe anyone who is envolved. On and on.
Anonymous 15 August, 2010 02:17
Hopefully the Aliens show up here pretty soon. I'm going with. Maybe I won't be forced into O'bamaCare's Socialized Medicine and made to pay for the mistakes of all those who came before me. I can't believe we have paid for the existence welfare all these years which only enabled generations of filth to breed like rats and leave us in a position of absolute dispair. These people don't want to work. If the dollar dies tomorrow, it won't matter to this populace of freeriding ticks and fleas because they have never worked for a damn thing in their life and have nothing to lose. They wait for a hand out or up and are a steadily growing part of the census. What they don't understand, is that socialized government is a proven failure and it will fail miserably when it does. Then on account of that failure, we get invaded by some communist country and, once they're here may very well decide to throw out our trash. They'll make Auschwitz look like a Polish county fair. So good luck folks. I truly hope that never happens but, it's truly the truth wether you want to believe it or not.
So fire up that collider thing and make those discoveries we so desperately need. Everyone with a brain is behind you. The rest are feeding themselves to the wolves or waiting to die somewhere. Godspeed to you sirs.
Konga 16 August, 2010 02:54
Thank you anonymous 15 August, 2010 02:17,
You've reaffirmed my faith. If someone with your intelligence is against socialism, it MUST be the right road to take.
anonymous 27 August, 2010 19:26
if the higgs boson is found, will there be a higgs boson diet that will help people to lose mass by giving up higgs bosons--perhaps donating them to cern? Will cern then become heavier and heavier and eventually flatten the alps?
Anonymous 27 August, 2010 21:39
Great article. Going to skip all of the philosophical and scientific debate - just going to grouse about the fact that every page says "click 'Continue', when in fact the button to continue says "Next" :-)
Anonymous 30 August, 2010 21:58
The assumption that science and religion are mutually exclusive is silly. Albert Einstein considered science as a means to better understand God, not disprove the existence of God.
anonymous 28 November, 2011 19:46
Genuinely Curious, how is the HIggs boson different from string theory uniformed strings? Is one just theory based and the other have an observation that makes it more scientific. Just an inquiring mind.
anonymous 29 November, 2011 09:08
You are all geeks. And 'god' DOES NOT exist. If u believe in religion you are a fool. That is all.
anonymous 29 November, 2011 10:40
God also created the possibility to become fools, freeloaders, scientists, sinners and atheists. Period.
Ironic, ain't it?
anonymous 29 November, 2011 21:58
lol, the place to continue actually says next...interesting article, but im really glad i didnt skip the philosophical debate, cause reading "Anonymous 27 August, 2010 21:39
Great article. Going to skip all of the philosophical and scientific debate - just going to grouse about the fact that every page says "click 'Continue', when in fact the button to continue says "Next" :-)" made it all the worth while :)
anonymous 30 November, 2011 00:54
Reality check... God didnt create anything... The big bang and evolution did.
anonymous 30 November, 2011 19:00
Religious people say God created the universe....Scientists say the big bang created the universe. Seems like they're both saying the exact same thing. First there was nothing, then there was all of this. Why have a pissing match over it when they're both saying the exact same thing?!
anonymous 30 November, 2011 21:51
Its funny how the big bang theory states that the universe was created in a split second, the snap of a finger. To me, that is one of the biggest signs that God exists at all. Nothing to something in the blink of an eye sounds pretty darn Godly.
anonymous 1 December, 2011 12:40
Religous people have to comment on matters of science because science challenges their faith. It offends them that we would use our curiosity as a tool of understanding rather than stifle it as it rejects the notion that everything is explained by 'god did it'. Maybe god did do it... but at least allow us to use the talents that such a god has given us without coming in to reject or give your "religious minded consent' to our science. Science leaves religion at the door and it has to or it would not exist. Turning these blogs into a religious debate is entirely pointless. I am not decrying anyone for their religion, but I am very tired of the pious coming to the science table. Keep your religious opinion to yourself in these forums as they have no place here and cause a useless regression in the flow of thought and debate. You don't need to justify your faith with science either. Believe or don't, whatever, but it has no place here.
anonymous 1 December, 2011 16:12
If there is a god, why would he be so intolerable of science?! Isn't this what human beings use to understand things to make life easier for us all?! I understood this when I was very young. Death is scary, but is it so scary that we need to heed our minds to the obvious because we don't want to go to hell?! Seriously, sheeple!
anonymous 2 December, 2011 00:25
All well said and great...however science, religion and "civilization" are always going to be missing something if we aren't peaceful within ourselves and to others.
In peace we are one with all things, science, god the kid next door or even a box of crackers.
Come together. Oh yeah and for the scientists; be careful what you create in the hands of humans your minds could be dangerous.
anonymous 2 December, 2011 15:34
The Reality of The Illusion ~corrine switzer~ She explains it all ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
anonymous 2 December, 2011 16:01
god is not relgiion is not god
anonymous 3 December, 2011 06:58
Im not sure....
anonymous 3 December, 2011 07:01
but if you attack me based on some sense that I am wrong and that I should be squashed out of existence because I dont see eye to eye with you then we shall dance eternally yes?
anonymous 1 January, 2012 11:53
Landing on this page reminded me of how one can end up in the weird section of youtube very quickly, but in a "good" way.
The points made about God and Science are very succinct and combine wisdom and commonsense and avoid the "pulpit" making for a thought provoking read.
Thankyou ;)
anonymous 22 January, 2012 16:24
and jesus said "all things are possible, if we can imagine them ", many people like to knock so called religion, where really they may not really understand it at all. we're all corruptible and unfortunately many churches fall into that category, but you would have to study the messages in a religious faith for yourself before making assumptions, much the same as you would with science.
anonymous 1 June, 2012 23:24
I think god loves us all, weather you believe in religion or science or anything you choose to believe. I also think that he gave us the ability to explore the unthinkable so that we come to a better understanding of what it is were looking for.. Now, am not picking sides here but am pretty sure God would not put one in a situation where he or she has to choose between good and evil.. Because to be forced into a situation like dat is indeed rather wrong. Instead we all have the ability to make and create our own way of how we choose to define right from wrong, good from bad. Its the choices we make that in fact brings us closer to what were looking for. But if I am wrong for deciding and creating my own choices instead of having to be forced into a situation where the thought of what can happen to me if I dont obey a certain situation( the bible ) than I guess so.. Then again why would he give me the ability to expand my mind and let me use every piece of information to reach to a better understanding?? I think "God" is jus another way of saying.. Ones ability to reach its greatest potential. And to be able to do that one must be and or act freely, without any conditions set upon themselves. Again am not choosing sides here, I just wanted to share my thoughts with you guys because that truly is the only way to find out anything.. its not by debate or arguing of any kind but simply just sharing your thoughts. Thanks, and much support to all with good intentions : )
anonymous 21 November, 2012 04:59
whatever this thing is. it just blows my mind. i can't even comprehend it.