Latest news with #HiggsBoson
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
ATLAS detects rare Higgs boson decays occurring once in every 5,000 events
Imagine a particle so elusive, so rare, that it's difficult even to catch a glimpse of it. That's the challenge researchers face when they try to study the Higgs boson, a fundamental particle—also called the God particle—responsible for giving mass to other particles. However, recent breakthroughs by the ATLAS collaboration at CERN have begun to unlock some of its most mysterious behaviors, including two incredibly rare decays. These decays, where the Higgs boson transforms into a pair of muons (H→μμ) or a Z boson and a photon (H→Zγ), are so scarce that they only occur in one out of every few thousand Higgs decays. The research could pave the way for discovering unknown particles and help us uncover the various mysteries associated with the God particle. Uncovering these rare decays wasn't easy. The ATLAS collaboration, a group of scientists working at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), spent years gathering data from their experiments. The first challenge they faced was the rarity of these events. The Higgs boson's decay into muons happens in only about one in every 5000 Higgs decays. So, the team had to search for a tiny signal amidst a vast amount of background noise caused by other particle interactions. To make the search more efficient, scientists combined data from LHC Runs 2 and 3, which gave them a more complete picture. With this enhanced data, ATLAS researchers used advanced techniques to filter out the background noise and focus on the events that showed signs of the rare Higgs decays. In the case of H→μμ, they looked for a small bump in the mass of the muon pair, right at 125 GeV, the known mass of the Higgs. Meanwhile, the H→Zγ decay presented an even tougher challenge. The Z boson that is produced in this decay only decays into electron or muon pairs about six percent of the time, and photons are notoriously difficult to distinguish from jets of particles created in other processes. Here, ATLAS developed new analysis methods to improve the sensitivity of their search. By categorizing events based on how the Higgs was produced and refining their selection criteria, the team was able to see a clearer signal. Their hard work paid off: For the H→μμ decay, they achieved a 3.4 standard deviation significance, which means the result is highly unlikely (one in 3000) to be a statistical fluke. This was a significant improvement over earlier results, which had only shown a hint of the decay at the two-standard-deviation level. For the H→Zγ decay, the team found an excess signal with 2.5 standard deviations, which was also an important step forward compared to previous results. These breakthroughs could have wide-scale implications. By uncovering the rare decays, the ATLAS collaboration is opening the door to exploring physics beyond the Standard Model. Unknown particles contributing to the H→Zγ decay could be an indication of physics that is still unexplored. However, there are still challenges. While these results are groundbreaking, they are not yet definitive. Looking ahead, ATLAS researchers plan to dig deeper into rare Higgs decays with even more data from future runs of the LHC. The team hopes that future data will not only confirm these findings but also reveal more details about how the Higgs interacts with other particles, especially those that haven't been studied as much, like the second-generation fermions. You can read about the two decays in more detail here and here.
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Daniel Hannan celebrates his chronicle of Brexit idiocy foretold
Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be Dan was very heaven! O wondrous day. One of which dreams are made. Especially if you've been taking large quantities of hallucinogenics. The day forever named Daniel Hannan Day. We will never see his like again. With any luck. The Man with a brain the size of a Higgs Boson particle. You know it must be there somewhere but only the Large Hadron Collider can conjure it into existence for a nanosecond. Yet in that fleeting moment, Dan can achieve great things. Can share the marvels he has seen. For Dan's unique ability is to be wrong about almost everything, all the time. Failing is his niche talent and his fans applaud his every disaster. Triumph and recognition are his alone. For Dan has long since been rewarded for being the dimmest man alive with a peerage. Living proof that even halfwits and liabilities need not be excluded from the upper chamber. And where Dan leads, Toby Young and others follow. To recap. Back in 2016, Dan was a Tory MEP. A confirmed Eurosceptic and bewilderingly considered by many to be the intellectual backbone of the Vote Leave campaign. Gravitas borne out of unbearable levitas. And two days before the referendum, Dan decided to share his genius for prophesy in an article he wrote for the website. This was the chronicle of Dan's idiocy foretold. 'It's 24 June, 2025, and Britain is marking its annual Independence Day celebration,' wrote Dan. 'As the fireworks stream through the summer sky, still not quite dark, we wonder why it took us so long to leave. The years that followed the 2016 referendum didn't just reinvigorate our economy, our democracy and our liberty. They improved relations with our neighbours.' Today we have reached that day. It is indeed 24 June 2025. And weirdly, Dan does not seem at all keen to be reminded of his morphine dreams from nine years ago. Surely this should be a day of celebration for him? Where is the column in the Daily Telegraph in which he once more shares his genius? Where is the pullout guide in the Daily Mail to all the street and firework parties taking place around the country? All hail the majesty of Dan Hannan Day. But it's really not fair that Dan should be so cruelly overlooked by his erstwhile backers on today of all days. Why all the long faces? Why do heads turn away when Dan's name is mentioned? Are we no longer allowed to enjoy the triumph of Brexit and the people who delivered such treasures to Britain? Whatever happened to punching the air at a self-inflicted 4% hit to GDP? It's almost as if the leavers are ashamed of what they have done. Back to the gospel according to St Dan. How else did he imagine the Britain of today? Agriculture and fishing booming. Cows with smiling faces, safe in the knowledge they would never hear moos with a French accent. Millions of cod swimming back into British coastal waters, desperate to be turned into fish fingers by Captain Birds Eye. It got better. Not only was the UK the foremost knowledge-based economy in the world, but Hoxton had superseded Silicon Valley as the global centre for tech. Not forgetting more traditional industries. Steel and ceramics would rise from their sick beds and become competitive again. Meanwhile the EU was withering and dying, choking on its own bureaucracy as Jean-Claude Juncker was voted back in for his second term as president of the European Federation. Imagine writing such trash. It's bad enough having to go back and read it again. The delusions became ever more tragic and grandiose. Hard not to worry about Dan's sanity. The trading arrangements with the EU were easily agreed, Dan fantasised. Not least because the EU was so intimidated by our show of strength. Tariff-free borders remained and EU nationals were given leave to remain. On and on it went. Birmingham and Leeds would become financial capitals of the world as Frankfurt, Milan and Paris stagnated. The UK would become the centre of world shipping. Shale oil and gas would come on tap and energy prices would hit record lows. Universities would flourish as the UK headed a new 22-state bloc to rival the EU. Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands would have already followed our example and left the EU. You can only wonder what Dan's predictions for 24 June 2034 might look like. Dear Diary, for nine years the Middle East has been at peace with Israel and Iran now inseparable allies. Crimea has become Europe's most fashionable summer resort after President Putin voluntarily handed it back to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the UK has become the largest economy in the world and has threatened to pull out of Nato unless the US increases its defence spending to 8%. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion If only all worlds were like Dan's. The reality is that, having just been blindsided by Donald Trump's decision to bomb Iran and the fragile ceasefire already broken, Keir Starmer found himself off to deal with yet another war at the Nato conference. This involved further Donald wrangling. Trying to persuade the US not to give away large chunks of Ukraine to Russia. Good luck with that. All of which left the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, to give a statement on the government's national security strategy to the Commons. And who better than Pat. The cadaver in human form. The man with the slightly sinister air of someone happy to sign death warrants over breakfast. The world was a very dangerous place, he began. All the more dangerous for having him in it. It was the government's policy to reach defence spending of 5% by 2035, with 1.5% coming from already existing internet and energy projects that had originally been assigned to other departments and would now be commandeered by defence. Not that he put it in those terms. But that appeared to be the gist of it. Everything else was on a need-to-know basis. All Pat could supply were some broad ideas. He would make us safe at home. And abroad. That was it. If he said anymore then our enemies would know what we were doing and the whole purpose of the strategy would be compromised. Thank you and good night. Sweet dreams are made of this on Daniel Hannan Day.
Sustainability Times
18-06-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'CERN Achieves Unbelievable Feat': These Chilling -456°F Giant 20-Ton Magnets Drive 10x More Particle Collisions in a Mind-Blowing Scientific Milestone
IN A NUTSHELL 🚀 CERN engineers are completing a crucial test facility for the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider, enhancing particle collision capabilities. are completing a crucial test facility for the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider, enhancing particle collision capabilities. ❄️ The new superconducting magnets, made from a niobium-tin alloy , operate at an extremely cold -456°F to achieve superconductivity. , operate at an extremely cold -456°F to achieve superconductivity. 🔍 The upgraded collider aims to increase luminosity by a factor of ten, allowing for more detailed studies of particles like the Higgs boson. by a factor of ten, allowing for more detailed studies of particles like the Higgs boson. 🧪 This project not only tests technical capabilities but also serves as a training ground for future installation and commissioning in the LHC tunnel. In the ever-evolving world of particle physics, the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) represents a monumental leap forward. Engineers at CERN are on the brink of completing a pivotal facility that is critical for this next-generation upgrade, which aims to significantly enhance the discovery potential of the world's most powerful particle accelerator. As a full-scale replica of the new segments designed to operate at an extremely cold -456°F, this facility marks a crucial milestone. The intricate process involves precise positioning of components weighing up to 20 tons, utilizing advanced handling equipment. This development promises to unlock new insights into fundamental physics. Boosting Delivery Potential with Advanced Magnets The HL-LHC project aims to increase the accelerator's luminosity, or the number of particle collisions, by a factor of ten. This dramatic enhancement will allow physicists to probe known particles, such as the Higgs boson, with unprecedented accuracy and propel the quest for new physics that could elucidate mysteries like dark matter. This leap forward is driven by novel superconducting quadrupole magnets, crafted from an innovative niobium-tin alloy. These magnets are capable of generating a magnetic field of 11.3 tesla, a significant upgrade from the existing 8.3-tesla magnets. To achieve the necessary superconductivity, these 20-ton magnets must be cooled with superfluid helium to a temperature of 1.9 Kelvin, colder than deep space. The current test assembly, referred to as the 'IT String,' is essential for ensuring that all components function cohesively under these extreme conditions before their eventual integration into the main LHC tunnel. This endeavor is not just a technological challenge but a gateway to a new era of particle physics exploration. 'Scientists Stunned as CERN Unveils Tiny Particle': Groundbreaking Discovery at Large Hadron Collider Sends Shockwaves Through Physics Community Strategic Testing and Training The test stand serves as a crucial platform for evaluating how various circuits perform collectively under realistic conditions. According to Marta Bajko, head of the IT String project, this phase allows for the fine-tuning of installation procedures, preparing for their eventual commissioning during the LHC's third long shutdown. The assembly's technical complexity is immense, involving a power supply line carrying over 100,000 amperes and approximately 70 intricate interconnections using specialized brazing techniques to ensure the continuity of the superconducting circuits. This testing phase is not only about technical validation but also about training. It provides teams with the opportunity to gain practical experience in a controlled environment before transitioning to the main LHC tunnel. As the installation and validation work continues, the team is gearing up for the complex cooling process, with the first power-up of the magnets expected by year-end. The success of this phase is crucial for advancing the HL-LHC project, which aims to push the boundaries of particle physics. 'Three times the size of the LHC': CERN unveils this colossal collider set to redefine the limits of particle physics exploration Understanding the Importance of Superconductivity Superconductivity is at the heart of the HL-LHC's enhanced capabilities. By cooling the magnets to a frigid temperature of -456°F, the facility leverages the power of superconductivity to conduct electricity without resistance. This remarkable phenomenon allows the magnets to generate significantly higher magnetic fields, which are essential for focusing particle beams more tightly. The result is a higher luminosity, translating to more collisions and more data for physicists to analyze. Understanding superconductivity not only aids in technological advancements but also contributes to our fundamental comprehension of physics. The HL-LHC's ability to maintain superconductivity under extreme conditions is a testament to human ingenuity and scientific progress. This capability is indispensable for achieving the project's ambitious goals, including the potential discovery of new particles and forces of nature. Lead Transformed into Gold: CERN Scientists Stun World with Historic Alchemy Breakthrough After Decades of Failed Experiments The Path Forward: Challenges and Opportunities As the HL-LHC project progresses, it faces numerous challenges, including the technical demands of maintaining superconductivity and the logistical complexities of component installation. However, these challenges are also opportunities for innovation and learning. The project exemplifies the collaborative spirit of international science, with experts from around the world contributing to its success. The HL-LHC promises to open new frontiers in particle physics, offering insights that could reshape our understanding of the universe. As the project moves closer to completion, it invites us to ponder the possibilities that lie ahead. What new discoveries might emerge from this cutting-edge facility, and how will they transform our knowledge of the cosmos? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.5/5 (28)
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Black holes could work as natural particle colliders to hunt for dark matter, scientists say
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. To unlock the secrets of dark matter, scientists could turn to supermassive black holes and their ability to act as natural superpowered particle colliders. That's according to new research that found conditions around black holes are more violent than previously believed. Currently, the most powerful particle accelerator on Earth is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), but since it was used to discover the Higgs Boson in 2012, it has failed to deliver evidence of physics beyond the so-called "standard model of particle physics," including the particles that comprise dark matter. That has led scientists to propose and plan even larger and more powerful particle colliders to explore this as-yet undiscovered country of physics. However, these particle accelerators are prohibitively expensive and time-consuming to build. Fortunately, the cosmos offers natural particle accelerators in the form of the extreme environments around supermassive black holes. We just need a little ingenuity to exploit them. "One of the great hopes for particle colliders like the LHC is that it will generate dark matter particles, but we haven't seen any evidence yet," Joseph Silk, study team member and a researcher at Johns Hopkins University, said in a statement. "That's why there are discussions underway to build a much more powerful version, a next-generation supercollider. But as we invest $30 billion and wait 40 years to build this supercollider, nature may provide a glimpse of the future in supermassive black holes." Dark matter is the mysterious stuff that seems to account for around 85% of all matter in the cosmos. That means the matter we understand — everything we see around us that's composed of atoms made of electrons, protons and neutrons — accounts for just 15% of stuff in the matter remains frustratingly elusive because it doesn't interact with light, making it effectively invisible. This is why we know it can't be made of standard atoms because these particles do interact with light. That has spurred the search for new particles that could comprise dark matter, with a great deal of this effort conducted using particle accelerators like the LHC. Human-made particle accelerators like the LHC allow scientists to probe the fundamental aspects of nature by slamming together particles like protons at near-light speeds. This creates flashes of energy and showers of short-lived particles. Within these showers, scientists hunt for hitherto undiscovered particles. Test particles like protons are accelerated and guided toward each other within the LHC and other "atom smashers" using incredibly strong magnets, but supermassive black holes could mimic this process using gravity and their own spins. Supermassive black holes with masses millions, or billions, of times that of the sun sitting at the hearts of galaxies are often surrounded by material in flattened clouds called "accretion disks." As these black holes spin at high speeds, some of this material is channeled to their poles, from where it is blasted out as near-light-speed jets of plasma. This phenomenon could generate effects similar to those seen in particle accelerators here on Earth. "If supermassive black holes can generate these particles by high-energy proton collisions, then we might get a signal on Earth, some really high-energy particle passing rapidly through our detectors," Silk said. "That would be the evidence for a novel particle collider within the most mysterious objects in the universe, attaining energies that would be unattainable in any terrestrial accelerator. "We'd see something with a strange signature that conceivably provides evidence for dark matter, which is a bit more of a leap, but it's possible.'The key to Silk and colleagues' recipe of supermassive black holes as supercolliders hinges on their discovery that gas flows near black holes can sap energy from the spin of that black hole. This results in the conditions in the gas becoming far more violent than expected. Thus, around spinning supermassive black holes, there should be a wealth of high-speed collisions between particles similar to those created in the LHC here on Earth."Some particles from these collisions go down the throat of the black hole and disappear forever," Silk said. "But because of their energy and momentum, some also come out, and it's those that come out which are accelerated to unprecedentedly high energies."It's very hard to say what the limit is, but they certainly are up to the energy of the newest supercollider that we plan to build, so they could definitely give us complementary results," Silk said. Related Stories: — Black hole announces itself to astronomers by violently ripping apart a star — Massive star's gory 'death by black hole' is the biggest and brightest event of its kind — Star escapes ravenous supermassive black hole, leaving behind its stellar partner Of course, catching these high-energy particles from supermassive supercolliders many light-years away will be tricky even if the team's theory is correct. Key to this detection could be observatories already tracking supernovas, black hole eruptions and other high-energy cosmic events."The difference between a supercollider and a black hole is that black holes are far away," Silk concluded. "But nevertheless, these particles will get to us." The team's research was published on Tuesday (June 3) in the journal Physical Review Letters.
The Print
14-05-2025
- Science
- The Print
How CERN's collider achieved modern alchemy—turning lead to gold in a trillionth of a gram
'It is impressive to see that our detectors can handle head-on collisions producing thousands of particles, while also being sensitive to collisions where only a few particles are produced at a time, enabling the study of electromagnetic 'nuclear transmutation' processes,' said Marco Van Leeuwen, ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) spokesperson, in a statement. Scientists observed a real-life transmutation of lead into gold through a new mechanism involving near-miss interactions between atomic nuclei. But each of these gold particles is the size of a nucleus, and lasted barely a second before being destroyed in the collider. During the LHC's second run between 2015 and 2018, around 86 billion gold nuclei were created from smashing lead atoms at 99.999993 percent the speed of light. New Delhi: CERN's announcement on May 8 that its Large Hadron Collider (LHC) can turn lead to gold was the Holy Grail for alchemists from the middle ages. This is the biggest discovery since the 'god particle' (Higgs Boson) and the 'beauty particle' (bottom quark). ThePrint explains the science behind the magic. Also Read: Search for an Indian Carl Sagan is on. Science influencers are being trained in labs and likes How it was done CERN caught the gold bug back as a side quest nearly two decades ago while working on the fundamental particles (smallest known building blocks of the universe) and forces (four forces of nature responsible for how matter behaves), when it started running the LHC. During the second run, the LHC produced 29 picograms of gold. A picogram is one trillionth of a gram. In the third run, which has been operational since 2022, the amount produced was almost double that of the second run but trillions of times less than what would be required to make a piece of jewellery. The third run, which will continue till 2026, has higher collision energy compared to its second run, improved detector performance, and collected more data. The detector's zero degree calorimeters (ZDCs) counted photon–nucleus interactions that led to the emission of zero, one, two or three protons, along with at least one neutron. ZDCs—which are specialised calorimeters used to detect and measure very small particles or radiation—are associated with the production of lead, thallium, mercury and gold. 'While less frequent than the creation of thallium or mercury, the results show that the LHC currently produces gold at a maximum rate of about 89,000 nuclei per second from lead–lead collisions at the ALICE collision point,' the CERN statement read. A flash of gold The gold nuclei emerged from the collision with very high energy and hit the LHC beam pipe or collimators (devices that shape or direct beams of light or radiation to narrow them or limit their speed) at various points downstream, where they immediately fragment into single protons, neutrons and other particles. In this form, the gold exists for just a tiny fraction of a second. 'Thanks to the unique capabilities of the ALICE ZDCs, the present analysis is the first to systematically detect and analyse the signature of gold production at the LHC experimentally,' said Uliana Dmitrieva of the ALICE collaboration in a statement. The biggest discovery that came from LHC was the Higgs Boson in 2012. The discovery provided evidence of how particles gain mass, proving the existence of the Higgs Field, which is key to the Standard Model of particle physics. However, in recent years, scientists have questioned the lack of any big discovery from the LHC. Also Read: 47 yrs ago, this Indian-origin physicist asked Feynman a question. He hasn't looked back since
