The Particle at the End of the Universe: The Hunt for the Higgs Boson and the Discovery of a New World

It was the universe's most elusive particle, the linchpin for everything scientists dreamed up to explain how physics works. It had to be found. But projects as big as CERN's Large Hadron Collider don't happen without conniving, incredible risks, and occasional skulduggery. Sean Carroll reveals the insight, rivalry, and wonder that fuelled the Higgs search, and explores why this particle holds the potential to change the world – much as the electron ushered in the age of nuclear energy and quantum computing. While the first sighting of the infamously named "God particle" essentially solves the riddle of why matter has mass, it also opens a door into the mind-boggling domain of dark matter and other phenomena we never predicted. Told with unparalleled ambition, authority, and access to the competing research teams, this is the definitive, behind-the-scenes account of the landmark discovery of the Higgs boson. Cover......Page 1 Title page......Page 4 Copyright page......Page 6 Dedication page......Page 9 Epigraph page......Page 11 Contents......Page 13 PROLOGUE......Page 16 ONE THE POINT......Page 25 TWO NEXT TO GODLINESS......Page 41 THREE ATOMS AND PARTICLES......Page 67 FOUR THE ACCELERATOR STORY......Page 89 FIVE THE LARGEST MACHINE EVER BUILT......Page 115 SIX WISDOM THROUGH SMASHING......Page 137 SEVEN PARTICLES IN THE WAVES......Page 165 EIGHT THROUGH A BROKEN MIRROR......Page 190 NINE BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE......Page 227 TEN SPREADING THE WORD......Page 261 ELEVEN NOBEL DREAMS......Page 288 TWELVE BEYOND THIS HORIZON......Page 331 THIRTEEN MAKING IT WORTH DEFENDING......Page 364 APPENDIX ONE MASS AND SPIN......Page 382 APPENDIX TWO STANDARD MODEL PARTICLES......Page 395 APPENDIX THREE PARTICLES AND THEIR INTERACTIONS......Page 405 FURTHER READING......Page 421 REFERENCES......Page 425 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 439 INDEX......Page 443 About the Author......Page 518 List of Illustrations......Page 520 Cover 1 Title page 4 Copyright page 6 Dedication page 9 Epigraph page 11 Contents 13 PROLOGUE 16 ONE THE POINT 25 TWO NEXT TO GODLINESS 41 THREE ATOMS AND PARTICLES 67 FOUR THE ACCELERATOR STORY 89 FIVE THE LARGEST MACHINE EVER BUILT 115 SIX WISDOM THROUGH SMASHING 137 SEVEN PARTICLES IN THE WAVES 165 EIGHT THROUGH A BROKEN MIRROR 190 NINE BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE 227 TEN SPREADING THE WORD 261 ELEVEN NOBEL DREAMS 288 TWELVE BEYOND THIS HORIZON 331 THIRTEEN MAKING IT WORTH DEFENDING 364 APPENDIX ONE MASS AND SPIN 382 APPENDIX TWO STANDARD MODEL PARTICLES 395 APPENDIX THREE PARTICLES AND THEIR INTERACTIONS 405 FURTHER READING 421 REFERENCES 425 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 439 INDEX 443 About the Author 518 List of Illustrations 520 EBC,Converted Winner of the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books A Best Science Book of the Year for the Guardian , Financial Times , and New Scientist It was the universe's most elusive particle, the linchpin for everything scientists dreamed up to explain how physics works. It had to be found. But projects as big as CERN's Large Hadron Collider don't happen without incredible risks – or occasional skulduggery. In the definitive account of the greatest science story of our time, acclaimed physicist Sean Carroll reveals the insights, rivalry, and wonder that fuelled the Higgs discovery, and takes us on a riveting and irresistible ride to the very edge of physics today. Winner of the 2013 Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books It was the universe's most elusive particle, the linchpin for everything scientists dreamed up to explain how physics works. It had to be found. But projects as big as CERN's Large Hadron Collider don't happen without incredible risks #x96; and occasional skullduggery. In the definitive account of this landmark event, Caltech physicist and acclaimed science writer Sean Carroll reveals the insights, rivalry, and wonder that fuelled the Higgs discovery, and takes us on a riveting and irresistible ride to the very edge of physics today Sean Carroll reveals the history-making forces of insight, rivalry, and wonder that fuelled the Higgs search and how its discovery opens a door to the mind-boggling domain of dark matter and other phenomena we never predicted. Told with unrivalled ambition, authority, and access to the teams, this is the greatest science story of our time The Particle at the End of the Universe: How the Hunt for the Higgs Boson Leads Us to the Edge of a New World is a non-fiction book by American theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll. The book was initially released on November 13, 2012 by Dutton. The definitive, behind-the-scenes account of the greatest science story of our time - a Best Science Book of the Year for the Guardian, Financial Times, and New Scientist Sean Carroll. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.