GENEVA ( AP) — One of two research teams hunting for an elusive sub-atomic particle believed to be a basic building block of the universe announced today that it has narrowed down the search thanks to the latest data.
The Higgs boson — also known as the so-called “God particle” — is more likely to be found in the lower energy ranges of the massive atom smasher being used to track it down, the team’s leader said. The information is expected to be confirmed later in the day by the second team.
The unveiling of the latest data has generated much buzz among researchers who hope that the particle, if it exists, can help explain many mysteries of the universe. British physicist Peter Higgs theorized the particle’s existence more than 40 years ago to explain why atoms, and everything else in the universe, have weight.
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