Higgs: The Invention and Discovery of the 'God Particle'

by Jim Baggott Narrated by Julian Elfer

Overview

The hunt for the Higgs particle has involved the biggest, most expensive experiment ever. So exactly what is this particle? Why does it matter so much? What does it tell us about the Universe? Did the discovery announced on 4 July 2012 finish the search? And was finding it really worth all the effort?



The short answer is yes. The Higgs field is proposed as the way in which particles gain mass-a fundamental property of matter. It's the strongest indicator yet that the Standard Model of physics really does reflect the basic building blocks of our Universe. Little wonder the hunt and discovery of this new particle produced such intense media interest.



Here, Jim Baggott explains the science behind the discovery, looking at how the concept of a Higgs field was invented, how the vast experiment was carried out, and its implications on our understanding of all mass in the Universe.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A tendency towards brevity and clarity make for a handy guide to the long hunt for an elusive quarry." - Nature

"For those who want the full story, there is Jim Baggott's Higgs....His detailed explanation of how the Higgs mechanism gives particles mass is extremely elegant." — New Scientist

"Higgs is an impressive volume, clarifying details, making the concepts that have been in dispute for years finally lucid... Higgs drills deep under your skin, constantly ferreting out new vistas, easily escaping our eyes. Baggott brings these-and more-together to form a solid concept of the God Particle effort-read it."
— San Francisco Book Review

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170927715
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	08/14/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged

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