Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:01,585 --> 00:00:04,920
Freeman: Scientists have been
hunting it for 40 years,
2
00:00:04,922 --> 00:00:09,325
the key that will unlock
the secrets of the universe.
3
00:00:09,327 --> 00:00:12,595
And now they've found it.
4
00:00:15,332 --> 00:00:17,299
Can the Higgs boson
really tell us
5
00:00:17,301 --> 00:00:19,568
how all creation
came into being?
6
00:00:21,338 --> 00:00:23,906
Do we owe our existence to
7
00:00:23,908 --> 00:00:26,575
something so elusive
yet so powerful?
8
00:00:27,444 --> 00:00:30,713
Is there a God particle?
9
00:00:36,186 --> 00:00:40,856
Space, time, life itself.
10
00:00:43,226 --> 00:00:48,164
The secrets of the cosmos
lie through the wormhole.
11
00:00:48,166 --> 00:00:52,166
Subtital By RA_One
13
00:01:01,043 --> 00:01:05,880
How did we get to be here
in this universe?
14
00:01:05,882 --> 00:01:10,852
Scientists say our universe
began as a burst of pure energy,
15
00:01:10,854 --> 00:01:15,456
but somehow, that energy
transformed itself into matter
16
00:01:15,458 --> 00:01:18,660
which eventually became
stars, planets,
17
00:01:18,662 --> 00:01:21,496
and the stuff that
makes up you and me.
18
00:01:21,498 --> 00:01:23,264
Instead of being
19
00:01:23,266 --> 00:01:26,100
a fleeting fireball
gone in an instant,
20
00:01:26,102 --> 00:01:30,004
our universe has stuck around
for billions of years.
21
00:01:30,006 --> 00:01:34,309
Physicists have long suspected
there must be
22
00:01:34,311 --> 00:01:37,912
some invisible force field
spread across the universe
23
00:01:37,914 --> 00:01:42,917
mysteriously turning energy
into solid matter.
24
00:01:42,919 --> 00:01:45,987
Now scientists
have at last proven
25
00:01:45,989 --> 00:01:49,724
that this
theoretical force field is real.
26
00:01:49,726 --> 00:01:51,459
They have produced from it
27
00:01:51,461 --> 00:01:55,630
a subatomic particle
known as the Higgs boson,
28
00:01:55,632 --> 00:01:58,566
the so-called God particle.
29
00:01:58,568 --> 00:02:01,970
Can it explain
the mystery of our creation?
30
00:02:05,641 --> 00:02:09,510
Have you ever
watched a spinning top?
31
00:02:09,512 --> 00:02:12,914
As a kid,
I remember being mesmerized
32
00:02:12,916 --> 00:02:17,652
watching the painted shapes
spinning on mine.
33
00:02:17,654 --> 00:02:20,121
The pattern
became a ghostly blur.
34
00:02:20,123 --> 00:02:24,692
Looked like I could stick
my finger right through it.
35
00:02:24,694 --> 00:02:29,564
But once it stopped moving,
the pattern became solid again.
36
00:02:29,566 --> 00:02:34,435
The solid nature of matter
has long puzzled physicists.
37
00:02:34,437 --> 00:02:35,837
Over the last four decades,
38
00:02:35,839 --> 00:02:37,872
they have wondered
if matter is solid
39
00:02:37,874 --> 00:02:39,841
because of the Higgs boson,
40
00:02:39,843 --> 00:02:43,444
the so-called God particle.
41
00:02:43,446 --> 00:02:45,079
You know what they really
wanted to call it, right?
42
00:02:45,081 --> 00:02:46,714
They wanted to call it
the God [bleep] particle...
43
00:02:46,716 --> 00:02:48,583
You probably can't
put that on TV though.
44
00:02:48,585 --> 00:02:50,151
...given the amount of
time and money we've spent
45
00:02:50,153 --> 00:02:50,952
looking for this thing.
46
00:02:50,954 --> 00:02:52,053
And we've missed it.
47
00:02:52,055 --> 00:02:53,621
"Oh [bleep] damn.
Where is that particle?"
48
00:02:53,623 --> 00:02:57,992
Dan Hooper and Patrick Fox
are theoretical physicists
49
00:02:57,994 --> 00:03:00,528
at the Fermi
National Accelerator Laboratory
50
00:03:00,530 --> 00:03:02,964
just outside of Chicago.
51
00:03:02,966 --> 00:03:06,901
Like thousands of physicists,
they have spent their careers
52
00:03:06,903 --> 00:03:09,971
waiting for the Higgs boson
to reveal itself
53
00:03:09,973 --> 00:03:13,875
in high-speed particle-collision
experiments.
54
00:03:13,877 --> 00:03:15,676
It's something we've been
looking for for a long time.
55
00:03:15,678 --> 00:03:17,645
The universe
would be very different
56
00:03:17,647 --> 00:03:19,680
if it weren't for
the God particle.
57
00:03:19,682 --> 00:03:24,919
Physicists believe, in fact,
that there was a brief moment
58
00:03:24,921 --> 00:03:28,890
when the universe
lived without the God particle.
59
00:03:28,892 --> 00:03:31,359
It was
at the beginning of time itself,
60
00:03:31,361 --> 00:03:35,630
long before there were
physicists and arcades.
61
00:03:35,632 --> 00:03:40,034
Imagine this air hockey table
is the entire universe.
62
00:03:40,036 --> 00:03:43,538
When it was born
in the big bang,
63
00:03:43,540 --> 00:03:45,807
physicists think there were only
64
00:03:45,809 --> 00:03:49,710
massless particles
of pure energy.
65
00:03:49,712 --> 00:03:50,945
So, what you can
see here is that
66
00:03:50,947 --> 00:03:52,814
all the particles are moving
around at the same speed,
67
00:03:52,816 --> 00:03:54,048
at the speed of light.
68
00:03:54,050 --> 00:03:57,185
They're all essentially massless
in the whole universe.
69
00:03:57,187 --> 00:04:00,688
But the universe did not
remain that way for very long.
70
00:04:00,690 --> 00:04:03,691
After
only a fraction of a second,
71
00:04:03,693 --> 00:04:05,927
something changed.
72
00:04:05,929 --> 00:04:09,263
Almost like
someone pulled a lever
73
00:04:09,265 --> 00:04:13,568
that made many of the particles
grind to a halt.
74
00:04:13,570 --> 00:04:15,903
At some point,
the Higgs field turned on,
75
00:04:15,905 --> 00:04:18,106
and that made some of
the particles acquire a mass,
76
00:04:18,108 --> 00:04:20,241
which meant they stopped
traveling at the speed of light.
77
00:04:20,243 --> 00:04:21,576
The photons,
the yellow ones,
78
00:04:21,578 --> 00:04:23,311
are zipping around
at the speed of light,
79
00:04:23,313 --> 00:04:25,513
whereas the red and the green
have acquired a mass
80
00:04:25,515 --> 00:04:26,848
thanks to
the Higgs mechanism
81
00:04:26,850 --> 00:04:28,783
and travel more slowly.
82
00:04:28,785 --> 00:04:32,954
Physicists believe that
right after the Big Bang,
83
00:04:32,956 --> 00:04:37,725
the universe began to cool,
and the Higgs field turned on.
84
00:04:37,727 --> 00:04:40,661
Some particles
began to interact with the field
85
00:04:40,663 --> 00:04:42,797
and acquired mass.
86
00:04:42,799 --> 00:04:46,901
Other particles remained
massless bundles of energy.
87
00:04:46,903 --> 00:04:49,036
In the decades for which
88
00:04:49,038 --> 00:04:51,339
scientists have been
smashing together particles
89
00:04:51,341 --> 00:04:54,142
to probe the subatomic world,
90
00:04:54,144 --> 00:04:57,945
they have found
two basic types of particles.
91
00:04:57,947 --> 00:05:00,381
There are fermions,
92
00:05:00,383 --> 00:05:03,951
a group of massive particles
that carry matter,
93
00:05:03,953 --> 00:05:06,754
and there are bosons,
94
00:05:06,756 --> 00:05:10,291
massless particles
that carry force.
95
00:05:10,293 --> 00:05:12,493
Without the existence
of the Higgs,
96
00:05:12,495 --> 00:05:16,330
all particles would be massless.
97
00:05:16,332 --> 00:05:17,899
So, if there was
no Higgs field,
98
00:05:17,901 --> 00:05:20,334
you would have had
these other force carriers.
99
00:05:20,336 --> 00:05:21,802
They would have been
massless,
100
00:05:21,804 --> 00:05:23,771
and therefore,
like the particles of light,
101
00:05:23,773 --> 00:05:25,072
they would move
at the speed of light.
102
00:05:25,074 --> 00:05:27,241
And without these masses,
you can never have
103
00:05:27,243 --> 00:05:29,810
atoms or chemistry or
any of the interesting stuff
104
00:05:29,812 --> 00:05:31,179
we find
in our universe.
105
00:05:31,181 --> 00:05:32,580
The things that you and I
are made up of
106
00:05:32,582 --> 00:05:33,948
wouldn't be able to
clump and coalesce
107
00:05:33,950 --> 00:05:34,849
and slow down.
108
00:05:34,851 --> 00:05:36,217
No structure, no life.
Right.
109
00:05:36,219 --> 00:05:37,385
Boredom.
Yep.
110
00:05:39,254 --> 00:05:40,855
Thanks to the Higgs,
111
00:05:40,857 --> 00:05:42,924
our universe
hung around long enough
112
00:05:42,926 --> 00:05:46,661
for complex structures
likes human life to form.
113
00:05:46,663 --> 00:05:51,499
But why did the matter-creating
Higgs field turn on?
114
00:05:51,501 --> 00:05:55,102
Many scientists,
including Dan and Patrick,
115
00:05:55,104 --> 00:05:57,772
think the sheer violence
of the Big Bang
116
00:05:57,774 --> 00:06:01,108
jostled the field into action.
117
00:06:01,110 --> 00:06:02,410
So, up until now,
I've been
118
00:06:02,412 --> 00:06:04,679
turning the Higgs mechanism
on and off by hand.
119
00:06:04,681 --> 00:06:06,414
But of course,
in the early universe,
120
00:06:06,416 --> 00:06:07,748
it didn't happen
that way.
121
00:06:07,750 --> 00:06:10,418
And just like water
freezes all on its own
122
00:06:10,420 --> 00:06:12,119
when you cool it,
123
00:06:12,121 --> 00:06:15,289
the Higgs mechanism
will turn on all by itself
124
00:06:15,291 --> 00:06:16,490
as the universe cools.
125
00:06:16,492 --> 00:06:18,092
So, this pool cue
is supposed to represent
126
00:06:18,094 --> 00:06:20,928
how unstable the Higgs mechanism
was all by itself.
127
00:06:20,930 --> 00:06:21,862
And as you can see...
128
00:06:21,864 --> 00:06:23,564
Voilà.
...It just falls over.
129
00:06:23,566 --> 00:06:26,867
Scientists think
the Higgs field,
130
00:06:26,869 --> 00:06:29,036
the force that
turned a ball of energy
131
00:06:29,038 --> 00:06:30,504
into our physical universe,
132
00:06:30,506 --> 00:06:32,673
turned on all by itself.
133
00:06:32,675 --> 00:06:35,643
But some will say that
it was no accident,
134
00:06:35,645 --> 00:06:39,513
and it must have been
turned on by a creator.
135
00:06:39,515 --> 00:06:42,083
That mystery of creation
may be answered
136
00:06:42,085 --> 00:06:45,553
if we learn more about
the Higgs field.
137
00:06:45,555 --> 00:06:49,290
Scientists have been trying to
disturb the field enough
138
00:06:49,292 --> 00:06:54,028
to make it produce a Higgs boson
so they can study it.
139
00:06:54,030 --> 00:06:56,330
It's an effort that has made
physicists construct
140
00:06:56,332 --> 00:06:59,400
the most powerful machine
in the history of science,
141
00:06:59,402 --> 00:07:04,138
the Large Hadron Collider,
or the LHC.
142
00:07:06,108 --> 00:07:09,410
Lyn Evans has been
responsible for building
143
00:07:09,412 --> 00:07:12,780
every particle accelerator
at CERN in Geneva
144
00:07:12,782 --> 00:07:15,516
for the past four decades.
145
00:07:15,518 --> 00:07:19,220
All the machines he created
are still working.
146
00:07:19,222 --> 00:07:23,391
In fact, they all work together
in stages.
147
00:07:23,393 --> 00:07:26,460
Each older one
is now responsible for
148
00:07:26,462 --> 00:07:29,563
giving the particles
an incremental push,
149
00:07:29,565 --> 00:07:32,300
packing them
with more and more energy,
150
00:07:32,302 --> 00:07:34,735
and eventually feeding them into
the giant,
151
00:07:34,737 --> 00:07:40,074
17-mile-long ring
that is the LHC.
152
00:07:40,076 --> 00:07:43,344
Evans: I came to CERN in 1969.
153
00:07:43,346 --> 00:07:45,946
My first job was
working on what is called
154
00:07:45,948 --> 00:07:48,382
the dual plasmatron ion source,
155
00:07:48,384 --> 00:07:50,551
which is actually
the source of the protons.
156
00:07:50,553 --> 00:07:52,720
And then, they are accelerated.
157
00:07:52,722 --> 00:07:54,121
From the linear accelerator,
158
00:07:54,123 --> 00:07:56,290
they go into a booster
to get higher energy
159
00:07:56,292 --> 00:07:58,192
and then into
the super proton synchrotron,
160
00:07:58,194 --> 00:08:00,494
which I worked on in the '70s,
161
00:08:00,496 --> 00:08:04,198
and finally into
the Large Hadron Collider.
162
00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,067
Freeman:
As particle accelerators
163
00:08:06,069 --> 00:08:09,036
have advanced
over the past few decades,
164
00:08:09,038 --> 00:08:11,172
they have been able to
get particles
165
00:08:11,174 --> 00:08:13,941
to higher and higher energies,
166
00:08:13,943 --> 00:08:15,309
allowing them to create
167
00:08:15,311 --> 00:08:17,878
more and more massive
new particles
168
00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:19,980
with each collision.
169
00:08:21,950 --> 00:08:24,685
The older accelerators
only had enough energy
170
00:08:24,687 --> 00:08:27,988
to smash together two protons
and make a new particle...
171
00:08:27,990 --> 00:08:28,956
Aah! Aah!
172
00:08:28,958 --> 00:08:31,292
...with just double the mass.
173
00:08:31,294 --> 00:08:34,061
But theorists predict
the Higgs weighs
174
00:08:34,063 --> 00:08:37,331
at least 100 times
as much as a proton.
175
00:08:37,333 --> 00:08:39,300
The laws of physics say that
176
00:08:39,302 --> 00:08:42,770
if you give protons
extra kinetic energy,
177
00:08:42,772 --> 00:08:46,073
you can smash them together
to form a new particle
178
00:08:46,075 --> 00:08:52,046
that weighs many times more
than the sum of their parts.
179
00:08:52,048 --> 00:08:53,614
Evans: Well, it all goes back to
180
00:08:53,616 --> 00:08:55,416
the most famous equation
in science,
181
00:08:55,418 --> 00:08:57,251
e=mc squared.
182
00:08:57,253 --> 00:08:59,820
In the LHC, we are
converting energy into mass,
183
00:08:59,822 --> 00:09:01,889
and if you want to
make very heavy objects,
184
00:09:01,891 --> 00:09:03,224
you need a high energy.
185
00:09:06,194 --> 00:09:09,130
Freeman: Think of
particle physicists as golfers
186
00:09:09,132 --> 00:09:12,266
hitting protons
instead of golf balls.
187
00:09:12,268 --> 00:09:15,669
Over the years, they have gotten
better and better clubs.
188
00:09:18,106 --> 00:09:20,007
Evans: To make an analogy,
I think this pitching wedge,
189
00:09:20,009 --> 00:09:23,344
you can think of
as the machines of the '60s.
190
00:09:23,346 --> 00:09:27,047
This will take me
about roughly 120 yards,
191
00:09:27,049 --> 00:09:28,883
something like that,
192
00:09:28,885 --> 00:09:32,887
because it doesn't
have enough energy...
193
00:09:32,889 --> 00:09:35,256
to go very far.
194
00:09:35,258 --> 00:09:39,160
Then, the next one was
the proton-antiproton collider.
195
00:09:39,162 --> 00:09:42,363
The proton-antiproton collider
was much more powerful,
196
00:09:42,365 --> 00:09:45,332
and, yeah,
a bit like a seven iron.
197
00:09:45,334 --> 00:09:48,636
This time, the particles
will get more energy...
198
00:09:53,308 --> 00:09:56,076
...and will go
quite a bit further.
199
00:09:56,078 --> 00:09:58,612
And finally, of course,
now we've got --
200
00:09:58,614 --> 00:10:00,648
at last, we've got the machine
201
00:10:00,650 --> 00:10:03,984
that can produce
the Higgs boson.
202
00:10:03,986 --> 00:10:07,721
And if you want
an analogy with that,
203
00:10:07,723 --> 00:10:09,890
this is my faithful driver.
204
00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:13,594
So, here we go.
205
00:10:21,603 --> 00:10:23,871
And that really moves it.
206
00:10:23,873 --> 00:10:27,541
Freeman: Making a particle
as heavy as the Higgs
207
00:10:27,543 --> 00:10:29,210
requires far more energy
208
00:10:29,212 --> 00:10:32,580
than any previous accelerator
has ever produced.
209
00:10:32,582 --> 00:10:36,283
Lyn and the enormous
team of engineers at CERN
210
00:10:36,285 --> 00:10:40,488
have had to push
their technology to the limits.
211
00:10:40,490 --> 00:10:41,956
Evans: Every time
the particles come around,
212
00:10:41,958 --> 00:10:43,691
they get a little kick,
213
00:10:43,693 --> 00:10:45,960
increasing their energy
incrementally
214
00:10:45,962 --> 00:10:48,596
until we get up to
the full energy reality.
215
00:10:48,598 --> 00:10:52,700
Freeman: Physicists finally
have the power they need.
216
00:10:52,702 --> 00:10:55,503
But capturing and studying
the Higgs boson
217
00:10:55,505 --> 00:10:58,239
is about more than brute force.
218
00:10:58,241 --> 00:11:01,742
It's a quest to
pull a needle from a haystack --
219
00:11:01,744 --> 00:11:07,548
a haystack made of trillions of
subatomic particles.
220
00:11:10,449 --> 00:11:12,783
For most religious believers,
221
00:11:12,785 --> 00:11:16,320
God cannot be seen or heard.
222
00:11:16,322 --> 00:11:20,991
But signs of his or her presence
are felt all around us.
223
00:11:20,993 --> 00:11:24,495
The Higgs boson
is almost as elusive,
224
00:11:24,497 --> 00:11:28,699
which is why the chase for it
has been so challenging.
225
00:11:28,701 --> 00:11:31,469
The Higgs can
pop in and out of existence
226
00:11:31,471 --> 00:11:35,739
in one billionth
of a trillionth of a second
227
00:11:35,741 --> 00:11:38,275
and only leaves behind
the faintest of evidence
228
00:11:38,277 --> 00:11:40,644
that it was ever there.
229
00:11:40,646 --> 00:11:44,482
So, how do scientists
find something
230
00:11:44,484 --> 00:11:47,117
that can never be seen?
231
00:11:49,855 --> 00:11:53,824
When physicist Joe Incandela
was a kid,
232
00:11:53,826 --> 00:11:57,995
his mom and dad hoped he would
become a glass sculptor.
233
00:11:57,997 --> 00:12:00,231
Incandela: I was very much
interested in art as a kid.
234
00:12:00,233 --> 00:12:02,867
My parents encouraged that
very strongly.
235
00:12:02,869 --> 00:12:04,502
They'd been
very interested in art.
236
00:12:04,504 --> 00:12:07,805
And I discovered
one of my favorite glassblowers
237
00:12:07,807 --> 00:12:09,173
was a chemist,
238
00:12:09,175 --> 00:12:10,741
and so, that kind of
gave me an excuse
239
00:12:10,743 --> 00:12:12,943
to go to college
and study chemistry.
240
00:12:12,945 --> 00:12:15,513
And so, when I took chemistry,
I had to take physics.
241
00:12:15,515 --> 00:12:17,848
And that just
immediately hit me.
242
00:12:17,850 --> 00:12:19,149
This was really fascinating.
243
00:12:19,151 --> 00:12:20,951
This was
the stuff I wanted to study.
244
00:12:22,821 --> 00:12:24,321
Freeman:
Joe is now the leader of
245
00:12:24,323 --> 00:12:28,158
one of the two major experiments
at the LHC.
246
00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:32,396
He directs thousands of
physicists from around the world
247
00:12:32,398 --> 00:12:35,232
who are all on the same quest
248
00:12:35,234 --> 00:12:38,602
to figure out how and why
249
00:12:38,604 --> 00:12:42,540
we and everything we know exist.
250
00:12:42,542 --> 00:12:44,141
Incandela: We're really
trying to understand
251
00:12:44,143 --> 00:12:46,443
our place in the universe,
you know?
252
00:12:46,445 --> 00:12:47,945
What is everything made of,
253
00:12:47,947 --> 00:12:49,246
and how did it
become what it is?
254
00:12:49,248 --> 00:12:50,648
These sort of
fundamental questions.
255
00:12:52,884 --> 00:12:57,421
Freeman: Joe believes the LHC
will answer these questions.
256
00:12:57,423 --> 00:13:02,026
The collisions at the LHC
recreate the energy conditions
257
00:13:02,028 --> 00:13:05,596
that happened
just after the Big Bang.
258
00:13:05,598 --> 00:13:08,766
Scientists are trying to
gain some insight
259
00:13:08,768 --> 00:13:11,969
into the moment
when the Higgs field turned on
260
00:13:11,971 --> 00:13:14,705
and spread across
the entire universe,
261
00:13:14,707 --> 00:13:18,008
creating matter, the stars,
262
00:13:18,010 --> 00:13:20,644
and eventually us.
263
00:13:20,646 --> 00:13:24,348
The force of the Higgs field
is carried by the Higgs boson,
264
00:13:24,350 --> 00:13:27,885
and a boson can only be detected
by creating
265
00:13:27,887 --> 00:13:31,555
an energy disturbance
in the field.
266
00:13:31,557 --> 00:13:33,490
Incandela:
Turns out the Higgs is actually
267
00:13:33,492 --> 00:13:36,660
determining the whole universe
in some way,
268
00:13:36,662 --> 00:13:38,195
what state it's in,
269
00:13:38,197 --> 00:13:40,731
and how these particles
will manifest themselves.
270
00:13:40,733 --> 00:13:44,301
So, if we take
an accelerator like the LHC,
271
00:13:44,303 --> 00:13:46,470
and we provide enough energy,
272
00:13:46,472 --> 00:13:48,372
and we
smash the protons together,
273
00:13:48,374 --> 00:13:50,474
we can actually pull,
if you like,
274
00:13:50,476 --> 00:13:52,576
a Higgs particle
out of this fabric
275
00:13:52,578 --> 00:13:54,545
and study it.
276
00:13:54,547 --> 00:13:57,047
Freeman:
Just like these glass balls
277
00:13:57,049 --> 00:13:59,216
are filled with
a bunch of stuff,
278
00:13:59,218 --> 00:14:03,387
the protons that are
smashed together at the LHC
279
00:14:03,389 --> 00:14:05,789
are also filled with stuff --
280
00:14:05,791 --> 00:14:09,493
particles
called quarks and gluons.
281
00:14:09,495 --> 00:14:12,129
When protons collide,
282
00:14:12,131 --> 00:14:15,432
thousands of new particles
come shooting out.
283
00:14:15,434 --> 00:14:19,536
Studying the aftermath
is a painstaking job,
284
00:14:19,538 --> 00:14:23,107
like sifting through
piles of shattered glass.
285
00:14:23,109 --> 00:14:25,275
Incandela: We're looking for
certain patterns.
286
00:14:25,277 --> 00:14:27,611
The energy, the particles,
the debris
287
00:14:27,613 --> 00:14:30,280
is scattered around the detector
in various ways,
288
00:14:30,282 --> 00:14:33,050
and for a Higgs,
you have very specific patterns
289
00:14:33,052 --> 00:14:35,586
depending on
the decay that's involved.
290
00:14:35,588 --> 00:14:40,491
Freeman: But the God particle has
blessed physicists with a twist.
291
00:14:40,493 --> 00:14:44,928
It always vanishes
before it can be spotted.
292
00:14:44,930 --> 00:14:46,864
The Higgs
decays almost instantly.
293
00:14:46,866 --> 00:14:49,800
Its lifetime is so short,
we can't measure it.
294
00:14:49,802 --> 00:14:55,673
And so, we detect it
by its decay products.
295
00:14:55,675 --> 00:14:58,575
Freeman: To detect a Higgs,
physicists like Joe
296
00:14:58,577 --> 00:15:01,879
have to look at the aftermath
of proton collisions
297
00:15:01,881 --> 00:15:05,349
to figure out what
the original particles were.
298
00:15:05,351 --> 00:15:06,817
If Joe could analyze
299
00:15:06,819 --> 00:15:09,887
each piece of debris
in this glass collision
300
00:15:09,889 --> 00:15:12,856
and calculate its trajectory,
301
00:15:12,858 --> 00:15:14,725
he could reconstruct the crash
302
00:15:14,727 --> 00:15:17,428
based on the remnants
that came out of it.
303
00:15:17,430 --> 00:15:19,763
Incandela: Most of
the interactions that we see,
304
00:15:19,765 --> 00:15:21,365
they immediately
create a pattern
305
00:15:21,367 --> 00:15:23,133
that we recognize
as not interesting,
306
00:15:23,135 --> 00:15:24,568
and we can reject them.
307
00:15:24,570 --> 00:15:26,303
So, we reject, by far,
308
00:15:26,305 --> 00:15:28,305
the vast majority
of the collisions.
309
00:15:28,307 --> 00:15:31,875
Freeman: The only collisions
worth studying are when
310
00:15:31,877 --> 00:15:35,646
the components of the protons
are perfectly aligned.
311
00:15:35,648 --> 00:15:39,116
If a quark inside one proton
makes a head-on impact
312
00:15:39,118 --> 00:15:41,118
with a quark inside the other,
313
00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,887
then almost all the energy
of the collision
314
00:15:43,889 --> 00:15:47,491
is concentrated in one place.
315
00:15:47,493 --> 00:15:51,161
This creates a strong enough
ripple in the Higgs field
316
00:15:51,163 --> 00:15:54,164
to make a Higgs boson.
317
00:15:54,166 --> 00:15:58,736
But this type of collision
almost never happens.
318
00:15:58,738 --> 00:16:01,271
Now, those are rare events,
okay -- really rare.
319
00:16:01,273 --> 00:16:04,174
So, roughly speaking,
320
00:16:04,176 --> 00:16:07,511
a Higgs production
is almost one in a trillion.
321
00:16:07,513 --> 00:16:11,782
Freeman:
Since the LHC has been running,
322
00:16:11,784 --> 00:16:16,687
it has produced
about 1,000 trillion collisions.
323
00:16:16,689 --> 00:16:18,956
Incandela: If you had
1,000 trillion grains of sand,
324
00:16:18,958 --> 00:16:21,091
you would fill
an olympic-sized swimming pool.
325
00:16:21,093 --> 00:16:22,493
[ Zip! Crunch! ]
326
00:16:22,495 --> 00:16:24,328
Freeman: But only a few hundred
of those collisions
327
00:16:24,330 --> 00:16:25,863
might produce a Higgs.
328
00:16:25,865 --> 00:16:26,830
Ugh.
329
00:16:26,832 --> 00:16:28,899
A few hundred grains of sand
330
00:16:28,901 --> 00:16:32,436
would just cover
the tip of your finger.
331
00:16:34,172 --> 00:16:37,107
It is
a seemingly impossible task,
332
00:16:37,109 --> 00:16:39,143
but to the world's astonishment,
333
00:16:39,145 --> 00:16:41,745
Joe and
thousands of other physicists
334
00:16:41,747 --> 00:16:44,181
pulled off the unfathomable.
335
00:16:44,183 --> 00:16:45,816
There's
very few events involved,
336
00:16:45,818 --> 00:16:47,818
and we can
trace where this comes from.
337
00:16:47,820 --> 00:16:51,088
Freeman: On July 4, 2012,
338
00:16:51,090 --> 00:16:53,190
Joe had the honor of announcing
339
00:16:53,192 --> 00:16:58,762
that the teams at the LHC
had made a giant step forward.
340
00:16:58,764 --> 00:17:01,331
They had detected a new particle
341
00:17:01,333 --> 00:17:06,503
that weighed between
125 and 126 giga-electron volts,
342
00:17:06,505 --> 00:17:10,407
the predicted range
of the mass of the Higgs.
343
00:17:10,409 --> 00:17:12,276
...because these results
are now global
344
00:17:12,278 --> 00:17:14,344
and shared by all of mankind.
345
00:17:14,346 --> 00:17:16,246
So, I thank you for that.
346
00:17:16,248 --> 00:17:17,414
[ Applause ]
347
00:17:17,416 --> 00:17:20,617
I've never seen anything like it
in my career.
348
00:17:20,619 --> 00:17:25,289
There was a lot of excitement.
People were very happy.
349
00:17:25,291 --> 00:17:27,558
Fox: It was just incredible,
like going to
350
00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,393
see the Beatles or something --
everybody was crazy,
351
00:17:29,395 --> 00:17:31,161
and there was
spontaneous applause
352
00:17:31,163 --> 00:17:32,429
at a physics seminar,
353
00:17:32,431 --> 00:17:33,397
which never happens,
you know?
354
00:17:33,399 --> 00:17:34,364
It's like
seeing the Beatles
355
00:17:34,366 --> 00:17:35,966
after waiting for it
for decades.
356
00:17:35,968 --> 00:17:37,401
Right, right.
Exactly.
357
00:17:37,403 --> 00:17:39,136
Evans:
It's, I hope, not the end,
358
00:17:39,138 --> 00:17:41,371
but it is
a little step in a long journey.
359
00:17:41,373 --> 00:17:43,674
It's taken us
40 years to get here.
360
00:17:43,676 --> 00:17:46,109
And we now have
a marvelous step forward
361
00:17:46,111 --> 00:17:48,478
in our understanding of nature.
362
00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,814
Incandela:
The Higgs field is unlike
363
00:17:50,816 --> 00:17:52,716
anything we've ever seen before.
364
00:17:52,718 --> 00:17:54,852
The Higgs field
is part of this fabric
365
00:17:54,854 --> 00:17:57,254
that we're interacting with
everywhere we go.
366
00:17:57,256 --> 00:17:59,189
From it, we can, to some extent,
367
00:17:59,191 --> 00:18:02,259
even possibly understand
the evolution of the universe.
368
00:18:02,261 --> 00:18:05,729
It's a very profound finding.
369
00:18:05,731 --> 00:18:10,667
Freeman: It's being called the
greatest scientific discovery
370
00:18:10,669 --> 00:18:14,438
since Einstein wrote
"e=mc squared."
371
00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:17,474
Incandela: A great piece of art
is something that,
372
00:18:17,476 --> 00:18:18,809
you know, lasts forever.
373
00:18:18,811 --> 00:18:22,880
A new scientific
discovery or development
374
00:18:22,882 --> 00:18:26,083
is something that contributes
to humanity for all time.
375
00:18:26,085 --> 00:18:30,387
Freeman: The particle that could solve
the riddle of our existence
376
00:18:30,389 --> 00:18:33,023
has been spotted.
377
00:18:33,025 --> 00:18:37,494
Are we closing in on a final
understanding of the universe?
378
00:18:37,496 --> 00:18:40,931
Dan Hooper thinks the answer
may be more complicated,
379
00:18:40,933 --> 00:18:44,534
that there may not be
one Higgs boson
380
00:18:44,536 --> 00:18:47,004
but five.
381
00:18:50,710 --> 00:18:54,579
Freeman: The Higgs boson
is supposed to explain
382
00:18:54,581 --> 00:18:59,084
where all the matter
in the universe came from.
383
00:18:59,086 --> 00:19:01,286
But in the last decade,
we've learned that
384
00:19:01,288 --> 00:19:03,155
most of our universe
is made up of
385
00:19:03,157 --> 00:19:07,826
invisible particles
called dark matter.
386
00:19:07,828 --> 00:19:11,229
In fact, there is
five times more dark matter
387
00:19:11,231 --> 00:19:13,865
than ordinary matter.
388
00:19:13,867 --> 00:19:18,303
The current theory that predicts
the existence of the Higgs boson
389
00:19:18,305 --> 00:19:23,308
offers no explanation
for this strange substance.
390
00:19:23,310 --> 00:19:28,580
Could the Higgs
have a hidden dark side?
391
00:19:30,550 --> 00:19:32,484
Theoretical physicist Dan Hooper
392
00:19:32,486 --> 00:19:34,719
has been waiting
his whole career
393
00:19:34,721 --> 00:19:36,054
for the announcement that
394
00:19:36,056 --> 00:19:39,224
the Higgs boson
has been discovered.
395
00:19:39,226 --> 00:19:43,161
Hooper: I was up
streaming it on my laptop,
396
00:19:43,163 --> 00:19:45,263
enthusiastically
waiting for the results.
397
00:19:45,265 --> 00:19:47,099
You wait for something
this long,
398
00:19:47,101 --> 00:19:48,900
and when it happens,
399
00:19:48,902 --> 00:19:52,237
no matter how prepared you think
you should be for it to happen,
400
00:19:52,239 --> 00:19:54,573
it seems surreal.
401
00:19:54,575 --> 00:19:56,208
It seems unexpected
402
00:19:56,210 --> 00:19:58,577
no matter how expected
it should have been.
403
00:20:00,446 --> 00:20:03,748
Freeman:
The Higgs has been found.
404
00:20:03,750 --> 00:20:07,352
But a huge mystery
still remains.
405
00:20:07,354 --> 00:20:10,755
What is dark matter?
406
00:20:10,757 --> 00:20:13,525
Hooper: One of the
biggest problems in cosmology
407
00:20:13,527 --> 00:20:16,161
is that when we
look in telescopes at space,
408
00:20:16,163 --> 00:20:18,697
we find that only a small
fraction of the total matter
409
00:20:18,699 --> 00:20:21,333
is made up of things like atoms
and other known material.
410
00:20:21,335 --> 00:20:23,435
Most of it is
some sort of elusive material
411
00:20:23,437 --> 00:20:26,771
that, for lack of a better name,
we just call dark matter.
412
00:20:26,773 --> 00:20:31,042
Freeman: Half a century
of exploring the subatomic world
413
00:20:31,044 --> 00:20:33,411
has revealed
an organizing structure
414
00:20:33,413 --> 00:20:37,716
called the standard model
of particle physics.
415
00:20:37,718 --> 00:20:41,586
Scientists have discovered 12
fundamental particles of matter,
416
00:20:41,588 --> 00:20:45,590
the fermions, equally split
among quarks and leptons.
417
00:20:45,592 --> 00:20:48,226
There are four particles
that transmit force
418
00:20:48,228 --> 00:20:50,762
like electricity and magnetism.
419
00:20:50,764 --> 00:20:52,964
These are the bosons.
420
00:20:52,966 --> 00:20:55,300
And then,
completing the picture,
421
00:20:55,302 --> 00:20:59,671
is one very special boson,
the Higgs boson.
422
00:20:59,673 --> 00:21:04,876
But the standard model has
no explanation for dark matter.
423
00:21:04,878 --> 00:21:08,747
And it has another serious flaw.
424
00:21:08,749 --> 00:21:11,183
One of the biggest problems with
425
00:21:11,185 --> 00:21:12,584
the standard model
of particle physics
426
00:21:12,586 --> 00:21:14,286
is something we call
the hierarchy problem.
427
00:21:14,288 --> 00:21:16,054
We know that the Higgs boson
428
00:21:16,056 --> 00:21:18,924
has a mass of about
126 giga-electron volts
429
00:21:18,926 --> 00:21:19,958
or gev.
430
00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,594
This is a heavy particle,
but naively,
431
00:21:22,596 --> 00:21:24,563
we'd expect,
according to the standard model,
432
00:21:24,565 --> 00:21:27,032
that the Higgs should be
much, much heavier than this.
433
00:21:27,034 --> 00:21:28,867
And for some reason,
it's lighter.
434
00:21:28,869 --> 00:21:34,039
Freeman:
The Higgs has weight issues.
435
00:21:34,041 --> 00:21:37,108
Just as the Higgs boson
gives mass to other particles,
436
00:21:37,110 --> 00:21:38,643
other particles, in turn,
437
00:21:38,645 --> 00:21:41,046
contribute to
the mass of the Higgs.
438
00:21:41,048 --> 00:21:44,649
When physicists work out
how big the Higgs should get
439
00:21:44,651 --> 00:21:47,519
from these other particles,
they come up with a weight
440
00:21:47,521 --> 00:21:50,989
billions of times heavier
than it is.
441
00:21:50,991 --> 00:21:53,191
Scientists
have had to fudge the math
442
00:21:53,193 --> 00:21:55,527
to make
the standard model work,
443
00:21:55,529 --> 00:21:59,331
fully knowing something is off.
444
00:21:59,333 --> 00:22:00,966
Hooper: So, to explain this,
445
00:22:00,968 --> 00:22:04,936
something has to very precisely
cancel one another
446
00:22:04,938 --> 00:22:08,240
to restore the Higgs mass
to its observed value.
447
00:22:08,242 --> 00:22:11,576
[ Blues music plays ]
448
00:22:11,578 --> 00:22:15,180
Freeman: When the Higgs and dark matter
weigh too heavily on Dan,
449
00:22:15,182 --> 00:22:18,717
he takes a mental break
from physics.
450
00:22:21,454 --> 00:22:24,422
The only dark matter he
and his band, the Congregation,
451
00:22:24,424 --> 00:22:27,926
sing about are broken hearts.
452
00:22:29,829 --> 00:22:32,764
But Dan
can't help but find parallels
453
00:22:32,766 --> 00:22:36,835
between the rules of music
and the rules of the universe.
454
00:22:36,837 --> 00:22:38,870
[ Song ends ]
455
00:22:38,872 --> 00:22:41,773
It's amazing
how many physicists I know
456
00:22:41,775 --> 00:22:44,042
who are also
accomplished musicians,
457
00:22:44,044 --> 00:22:46,077
and maybe
there's reasons for that.
458
00:22:46,079 --> 00:22:48,613
The patterns that you find
in particle physics
459
00:22:48,615 --> 00:22:50,315
are oftentimes pretty similar to
460
00:22:50,317 --> 00:22:52,250
the kind of symmetries
you can find in music theory.
461
00:22:52,252 --> 00:22:56,454
[ Blues music plays ]
462
00:22:56,456 --> 00:22:58,957
Freeman: Dan believes
there is a pattern in nature
463
00:22:58,959 --> 00:23:01,793
that can solve
the small mass of the Higgs
464
00:23:01,795 --> 00:23:04,329
and explain dark matter.
465
00:23:04,331 --> 00:23:07,332
It is an idea that
modifies the standard model.
466
00:23:07,334 --> 00:23:10,502
It's called supersymmetry.
467
00:23:10,504 --> 00:23:15,507
♪ ...looking for so long
468
00:23:15,509 --> 00:23:20,211
♪ but each time
that I've tried ♪
469
00:23:20,213 --> 00:23:22,314
Hooper:
For every piece of matter,
470
00:23:22,316 --> 00:23:24,382
every kind of
fermionic particle,
471
00:23:24,384 --> 00:23:26,017
there has to be
a bosonic particle,
472
00:23:26,019 --> 00:23:27,052
a force carrier.
473
00:23:27,054 --> 00:23:28,720
So, the photon
requires a photino,
474
00:23:28,722 --> 00:23:30,055
the electron a selectron.
475
00:23:30,057 --> 00:23:31,356
In music theory,
476
00:23:31,358 --> 00:23:34,826
if you have a major scale
like this "C" major scale...
477
00:23:34,828 --> 00:23:38,930
[ Scale plays ]
478
00:23:38,932 --> 00:23:42,334
...those same notes have to
make up an "A" minor scale
479
00:23:42,336 --> 00:23:44,069
if you just
play them in a different order.
480
00:23:44,071 --> 00:23:47,339
[ Scale plays ]
481
00:23:47,341 --> 00:23:48,907
So, in a supersymmetric world,
482
00:23:48,909 --> 00:23:51,643
you can't have
a photon without a photino,
483
00:23:51,645 --> 00:23:53,378
and in our music theory,
484
00:23:53,380 --> 00:23:56,281
you can't have a major scale
without a minor scale.
485
00:23:56,283 --> 00:23:58,950
Freeman:
According to supersymmetry,
486
00:23:58,952 --> 00:24:01,619
the particles
we have observed in nature
487
00:24:01,621 --> 00:24:04,756
are only half of the picture.
488
00:24:04,758 --> 00:24:09,594
There must be massive
superpartners for each one.
489
00:24:09,596 --> 00:24:14,199
One of these superpartners
might even be dark matter.
490
00:24:14,201 --> 00:24:16,434
So, in most
supersymmetric theories,
491
00:24:16,436 --> 00:24:19,037
the lightest of
the new particles you introduce
492
00:24:19,039 --> 00:24:21,339
is a very nice candidate
for dark matter.
493
00:24:21,341 --> 00:24:24,175
So, in the early universe,
when the universe was very hot,
494
00:24:24,177 --> 00:24:27,045
these particles would have been
produced in copious numbers.
495
00:24:27,047 --> 00:24:29,681
Most of it would get destroyed,
but a little bit would survive,
496
00:24:29,683 --> 00:24:31,182
and that little bit
could make up
497
00:24:31,184 --> 00:24:33,418
all of the dark matter
in our universe today.
498
00:24:37,022 --> 00:24:39,758
Freeman:
According to Dan, if symmetries
499
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,694
are a fundamental part
of our universe,
500
00:24:42,696 --> 00:24:46,030
they can set the Higgs
at the correct mass.
501
00:24:46,032 --> 00:24:47,866
Hooper: If supersymmetry
exists in nature,
502
00:24:47,868 --> 00:24:49,901
then every contribution given
503
00:24:49,903 --> 00:24:51,770
from a particle,
like an electron,
504
00:24:51,772 --> 00:24:53,805
gets an opposite contribution
505
00:24:53,807 --> 00:24:55,573
from its superpartner,
the selectron,
506
00:24:55,575 --> 00:24:56,775
and they balance.
507
00:24:56,777 --> 00:24:58,376
They cancel each other out
for the most part,
508
00:24:58,378 --> 00:25:01,513
leaving us with
a pretty light Higgs boson.
509
00:25:03,449 --> 00:25:05,150
Freeman:
Supersymmetry makes sense
510
00:25:05,152 --> 00:25:06,851
where the standard model
does not.
511
00:25:06,853 --> 00:25:10,488
It can explain
the small mass of the Higgs
512
00:25:10,490 --> 00:25:13,358
and what dark matter is.
513
00:25:13,360 --> 00:25:16,528
But there is a catch.
514
00:25:16,530 --> 00:25:19,531
In order for
supersymmetry to be true,
515
00:25:19,533 --> 00:25:22,434
there has to be
not just one Higgs
516
00:25:22,436 --> 00:25:24,502
but five.
517
00:25:24,504 --> 00:25:26,671
If nature really is
supersymmetric
518
00:25:26,673 --> 00:25:28,406
and there were
only one Higgs boson,
519
00:25:28,408 --> 00:25:29,808
the theory would contain
520
00:25:29,810 --> 00:25:32,043
mathematical problems
we call anomalies.
521
00:25:32,045 --> 00:25:34,379
It would contain paradoxes.
522
00:25:34,381 --> 00:25:37,916
And to solve this, you need to
introduce extra Higgs bosons.
523
00:25:37,918 --> 00:25:40,218
If CERN were to discover
a second or third
524
00:25:40,220 --> 00:25:42,020
or fourth or fifth Higgs boson,
525
00:25:42,022 --> 00:25:44,088
it would strengthen the case
for supersymmetry,
526
00:25:44,090 --> 00:25:45,290
even if we hadn't observed
527
00:25:45,292 --> 00:25:48,193
those superparticle partners
themselves yet.
528
00:25:48,195 --> 00:25:51,296
If we are to explain
the universe
529
00:25:51,298 --> 00:25:53,298
as we already know it,
530
00:25:53,300 --> 00:25:58,503
to understand how dark matter
lives alongside ordinary matter,
531
00:25:58,505 --> 00:26:03,975
scientists need to find evidence
for five Higgs bosons.
532
00:26:03,977 --> 00:26:09,447
It took 40 years
to find one God particle.
533
00:26:09,449 --> 00:26:13,685
Is the ultimate truth
destined to elude us?
534
00:26:16,476 --> 00:26:18,444
The Higgs boson
is responsible for
535
00:26:18,446 --> 00:26:22,148
giving everything
in the entire universe mass.
536
00:26:22,150 --> 00:26:25,885
That's a big job
for one subatomic particle.
537
00:26:25,887 --> 00:26:29,889
Some scientists believe it's
too big a job for one particle.
538
00:26:29,891 --> 00:26:32,191
What if the God particle
539
00:26:32,193 --> 00:26:35,628
isn't carrying the weight
all by itself?
540
00:26:35,630 --> 00:26:37,930
Perhaps
the real design of the universe
541
00:26:37,932 --> 00:26:41,300
needs more than one Higgs
to play God.
542
00:26:44,037 --> 00:26:47,773
John Ellis is
a theoretical physicist at CERN.
543
00:26:47,775 --> 00:26:50,576
He spends his time
thinking up ideas,
544
00:26:50,578 --> 00:26:55,114
ideas that experiments here
often prove wrong.
545
00:26:55,116 --> 00:26:57,283
But that's okay by John.
546
00:26:57,285 --> 00:26:59,919
Ellis: So, no, my job is to
547
00:26:59,921 --> 00:27:01,520
think of things
for the experiments to look for,
548
00:27:01,522 --> 00:27:03,356
and then, as I like to say,
549
00:27:03,358 --> 00:27:05,291
I hope
they find something different.
550
00:27:05,293 --> 00:27:09,829
Freeman: Albert de Roeck
is an experimental physicist.
551
00:27:09,831 --> 00:27:13,632
He spends his time
testing ideas,
552
00:27:13,634 --> 00:27:15,668
hoping to prove them wrong.
553
00:27:15,670 --> 00:27:20,106
I joined these experiments
in pursuit of
554
00:27:20,108 --> 00:27:23,175
finding something
to crack the standard model,
555
00:27:23,177 --> 00:27:25,244
possibly kill the standard model
556
00:27:25,246 --> 00:27:27,113
by finding things
beyond the standard model.
557
00:27:28,715 --> 00:27:31,117
Freeman:
Albert, the experimentalist,
558
00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:32,752
and John, the thinker,
559
00:27:32,754 --> 00:27:35,187
have both been part of
the hunt for the Higgs
560
00:27:35,189 --> 00:27:37,456
since the beginning.
561
00:27:37,458 --> 00:27:42,661
The Higgs boson was originally
supposed to solve one mystery --
562
00:27:42,663 --> 00:27:46,565
the mass of
the "w" and "z" bosons,
563
00:27:46,567 --> 00:27:49,201
which are extremely heavy.
564
00:27:49,203 --> 00:27:53,472
The other two bosons
are massless.
565
00:27:53,474 --> 00:27:57,376
Physicists proposed
the "w" and "z" get heavy
566
00:27:57,378 --> 00:27:59,712
because they alone interact with
567
00:27:59,714 --> 00:28:03,015
an invisible field
that is everywhere --
568
00:28:03,017 --> 00:28:04,950
the Higgs field.
569
00:28:04,952 --> 00:28:08,054
But the other bosons do not.
570
00:28:08,056 --> 00:28:11,424
Later, when the standard model
was written,
571
00:28:11,426 --> 00:28:14,060
the idea of the Higgs field
was extended
572
00:28:14,062 --> 00:28:16,595
to take on a much bigger job --
573
00:28:16,597 --> 00:28:20,866
to give mass
to the entire universe.
574
00:28:20,868 --> 00:28:22,234
It was sort of added on.
575
00:28:22,236 --> 00:28:26,172
It was not
why this mechanism was invented.
576
00:28:26,174 --> 00:28:29,909
Freeman: But physicists
like Albert and John know
577
00:28:29,911 --> 00:28:32,645
this one particle
may not be responsible
578
00:28:32,647 --> 00:28:35,114
for giving mass to everything.
579
00:28:35,116 --> 00:28:37,683
Ellis: There's myriads of
theories out there in physics
580
00:28:37,685 --> 00:28:38,884
beyond the standard model,
581
00:28:38,886 --> 00:28:40,553
and it's a general feature
of them
582
00:28:40,555 --> 00:28:42,988
that they predict
something more complicated
583
00:28:42,990 --> 00:28:44,924
than just a single Higgs boson.
584
00:28:44,926 --> 00:28:48,727
Freeman: John and Albert
have been trying to
585
00:28:48,729 --> 00:28:52,364
come up with new theories,
building upon the standard model
586
00:28:52,366 --> 00:28:55,267
while fixing
what is wrong with it.
587
00:28:55,269 --> 00:28:58,604
It means they must
change their predictions
588
00:28:58,606 --> 00:29:01,674
for what the Higgs actually is.
589
00:29:01,676 --> 00:29:05,010
Several varieties
of Higgs particles
590
00:29:05,012 --> 00:29:06,479
have been predicted.
591
00:29:06,481 --> 00:29:09,482
You can think of it
like flavors of ice cream.
592
00:29:09,484 --> 00:29:13,252
If the LHC found
a plain, old, vanilla Higgs,
593
00:29:13,254 --> 00:29:16,455
it confirms
what physicists already know.
594
00:29:16,457 --> 00:29:19,058
[ Sighs ]
595
00:29:19,060 --> 00:29:22,728
But if it turns out to be
a more exciting flavor
596
00:29:22,730 --> 00:29:24,797
like mint-chocolate-chip,
597
00:29:24,799 --> 00:29:28,968
it opens up new thrilling
possibilities for physics.
598
00:29:28,970 --> 00:29:31,003
[ Smooching ]
599
00:29:31,005 --> 00:29:32,505
Oh!
600
00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:36,609
One of these possibilities
would be that
601
00:29:36,611 --> 00:29:41,147
there are two Higgs bosons,
each with a different job.
602
00:29:41,149 --> 00:29:44,016
So, there's been, you know,
a number of ideas that say,
603
00:29:44,018 --> 00:29:47,486
"well, maybe there's
a bit of outsourcing going on,"
604
00:29:47,488 --> 00:29:49,355
and that there is
one Higgs boson
605
00:29:49,357 --> 00:29:50,723
for the "w" and the "zed"
606
00:29:50,725 --> 00:29:53,259
and another one
for the matter particles.
607
00:29:53,261 --> 00:29:58,597
Freeman: Imagine John is
a "z" boson, a force carrier.
608
00:29:58,599 --> 00:30:02,568
Albert is a quark,
a matter carrier.
609
00:30:02,570 --> 00:30:04,970
John is
a well-known coffee addict.
610
00:30:04,972 --> 00:30:08,707
Albert is
a well-known chocoholic.
611
00:30:08,709 --> 00:30:11,911
Say this café is one Higgs field
612
00:30:11,913 --> 00:30:14,914
and this chocolate shop
is another.
613
00:30:14,916 --> 00:30:20,619
When John passes the café,
he will slow down and gain mass.
614
00:30:20,621 --> 00:30:22,421
De Roeck:
But the other particle, myself,
615
00:30:22,423 --> 00:30:24,023
would just zap through until
616
00:30:24,025 --> 00:30:27,092
I encounter the field
with which I'm interacting,
617
00:30:27,094 --> 00:30:28,561
and that would give me mass --
618
00:30:28,563 --> 00:30:30,296
in this case, a chocolate shop.
619
00:30:30,298 --> 00:30:33,032
Freeman: The standard model
620
00:30:33,034 --> 00:30:36,068
doesn't include
two Higgs fields,
621
00:30:36,070 --> 00:30:40,539
which is why this idea is
so appealing to John and Albert.
622
00:30:40,541 --> 00:30:44,243
If we were to find that
there is more than one Higgs,
623
00:30:44,245 --> 00:30:46,245
that would mean for sure
624
00:30:46,247 --> 00:30:49,982
there is physics
beyond the standard model.
625
00:30:49,984 --> 00:30:51,650
Ellis:
Now, if what we're looking at
626
00:30:51,652 --> 00:30:53,252
is something
which is not exactly,
627
00:30:53,254 --> 00:30:55,054
you know, your grandmother's
Higgs boson,
628
00:30:55,056 --> 00:30:58,257
that could actually, in a way,
be even more exciting.
629
00:30:58,259 --> 00:31:01,860
Freeman: So far, there are
some signs of anomalies
630
00:31:01,862 --> 00:31:04,597
in the way
this new particle decays,
631
00:31:04,599 --> 00:31:07,499
suggesting
an exotic flavor of the Higgs
632
00:31:07,501 --> 00:31:10,236
might be lurking in the data.
633
00:31:10,238 --> 00:31:14,607
And there are still piles
of data waiting to be analyzed.
634
00:31:14,609 --> 00:31:18,677
De Roeck: I actually hope that
this Higgs boson
635
00:31:18,679 --> 00:31:21,814
is gonna be
a portal to the new physics
636
00:31:21,816 --> 00:31:24,350
which we're going to find
beyond the standard model.
637
00:31:24,352 --> 00:31:25,818
And that would be exciting
because
638
00:31:25,820 --> 00:31:28,120
each time that happens,
we learn something new.
639
00:31:28,122 --> 00:31:31,457
Freeman:
The LHC may be hinting that
640
00:31:31,459 --> 00:31:34,727
the Higgs
is only one of many players.
641
00:31:34,729 --> 00:31:38,597
It may not be the God particle
after all.
642
00:31:38,599 --> 00:31:41,934
This man thinks the truth about
the creation of the universe
643
00:31:41,936 --> 00:31:45,371
lies deeper than
the long-sought Higgs,
644
00:31:45,373 --> 00:31:47,539
that we owe our existence to
645
00:31:47,541 --> 00:31:51,610
particles we have
only just begun to imagine.
646
00:31:53,116 --> 00:31:56,132
It was the Greek philosopher
Democritus
647
00:31:56,232 --> 00:31:58,199
who first thought of the atom.
648
00:31:58,901 --> 00:32:00,533
He imagined it to be
649
00:32:00,535 --> 00:32:04,204
the smallest possible
building block of matter,
650
00:32:04,206 --> 00:32:06,673
one that could never be divided.
651
00:32:06,675 --> 00:32:10,644
His idea was good enough
to last 2,000 years,
652
00:32:10,646 --> 00:32:15,815
until the nuclear age came along
and revealed a deeper truth.
653
00:32:15,817 --> 00:32:19,753
The atom is made up
of smaller things.
654
00:32:19,755 --> 00:32:24,257
Just as particles like quarks
and electrons make up the atom,
655
00:32:24,259 --> 00:32:27,494
smaller, more fundamental
building blocks
656
00:32:27,496 --> 00:32:30,263
might make up the Higgs boson.
657
00:32:30,265 --> 00:32:33,800
If we can find them,
they could reveal
658
00:32:33,802 --> 00:32:38,505
not just how matter exists
but why it came to be.
659
00:32:43,077 --> 00:32:46,646
Francesco Sannino
is a theoretical physicist
660
00:32:46,648 --> 00:32:51,084
at the University
of Southern Denmark in Odense.
661
00:32:51,086 --> 00:32:57,023
He lives in the perfect town
to let his imagination run wild.
662
00:32:57,025 --> 00:32:58,792
Odense is the birthplace
663
00:32:58,794 --> 00:33:01,561
of the famous
children's story author
664
00:33:01,563 --> 00:33:04,631
Hans Christian Andersen.
665
00:33:04,633 --> 00:33:07,834
So, we are in the Hans Christian
Andersen neighborhood.
666
00:33:07,836 --> 00:33:09,002
He was born here,
667
00:33:09,004 --> 00:33:12,372
and he has drawn a lot
from these streets.
668
00:33:12,374 --> 00:33:13,707
As you can see,
669
00:33:13,709 --> 00:33:18,144
it looks like taken
by a page from a storybook.
670
00:33:18,146 --> 00:33:21,147
Freeman:
But unlike this fairy-tale town,
671
00:33:21,149 --> 00:33:22,415
our understanding
672
00:33:22,417 --> 00:33:24,517
of the fundamental
building blocks of the universe
673
00:33:24,519 --> 00:33:26,619
is not picture-perfect.
674
00:33:26,621 --> 00:33:28,254
The standard model
675
00:33:28,256 --> 00:33:32,492
regards the Higgs boson
as a fundamental particle,
676
00:33:32,494 --> 00:33:35,462
but Francesco's imagination
is driving him to look further,
677
00:33:35,464 --> 00:33:40,600
to see if he can peer
inside the Higgs.
678
00:33:40,602 --> 00:33:42,102
Sannino:
According to the standard model,
679
00:33:42,104 --> 00:33:43,970
the Higgs is
a fundamental particle.
680
00:33:43,972 --> 00:33:46,039
It means it's not made
of something else.
681
00:33:46,041 --> 00:33:47,974
So, look at this wall.
It's white.
682
00:33:47,976 --> 00:33:50,844
But the truth is that
there are three different lights
683
00:33:50,846 --> 00:33:53,113
combined together
making this white.
684
00:33:53,115 --> 00:33:54,147
In fact, see what happen
685
00:33:54,149 --> 00:33:55,815
if I put my hand
in front of the wall.
686
00:33:55,817 --> 00:33:58,852
I can resolve
there's three different colors,
687
00:33:58,854 --> 00:34:01,454
the green, the blue,
and the red.
688
00:34:01,456 --> 00:34:03,223
Together,
they form the white light.
689
00:34:03,225 --> 00:34:05,091
Freeman: Just as a white light
690
00:34:05,093 --> 00:34:07,994
is actually made up
of three different colors,
691
00:34:07,996 --> 00:34:10,630
Francesco wondered if the Higgs
692
00:34:10,632 --> 00:34:13,299
is made up
of several different particles.
693
00:34:13,301 --> 00:34:14,868
This would mean the Higgs
694
00:34:14,870 --> 00:34:17,537
is not a fundamental root
of all matter.
695
00:34:17,539 --> 00:34:19,939
He and many
of his colleagues think
696
00:34:19,941 --> 00:34:23,376
the Higgs itself is governed
by a new force of nature,
697
00:34:23,378 --> 00:34:26,980
something they call
the technicolor force.
698
00:34:26,982 --> 00:34:29,115
Sannino: If you look
deep inside the Higgs,
699
00:34:29,117 --> 00:34:31,184
you will find
it's made of something else.
700
00:34:31,186 --> 00:34:33,420
[ Piano plays classical music ]
701
00:34:33,422 --> 00:34:35,522
Freeman: Francesco believes
702
00:34:35,524 --> 00:34:39,626
the Higgs boson dances
to a new tempo.
703
00:34:39,628 --> 00:34:42,762
Imagine these Lego bricks
are ordinary quarks
704
00:34:42,764 --> 00:34:45,698
and this board
is the force of the gluons
705
00:34:45,700 --> 00:34:47,434
that holds them together.
706
00:34:47,436 --> 00:34:52,439
To make a proton,
we need three quarks.
707
00:34:52,441 --> 00:34:55,041
According
to the technicolor theory,
708
00:34:55,043 --> 00:34:56,876
the Higgs is just the same,
709
00:34:56,878 --> 00:35:02,048
but it is made up
of different types of quarks --
710
00:35:02,050 --> 00:35:04,284
techniquarks.
711
00:35:04,286 --> 00:35:07,821
Sannino: The techniquarks
are held together
712
00:35:07,823 --> 00:35:10,757
by a new force, a techniforce.
713
00:35:10,759 --> 00:35:13,726
And the energy
that comes from the interactions
714
00:35:13,728 --> 00:35:16,863
also automatically provides
the mass of the Higgs.
715
00:35:16,865 --> 00:35:18,665
Freeman: Physicists know
716
00:35:18,667 --> 00:35:21,734
ordinary quarks
in different arrangements
717
00:35:21,736 --> 00:35:23,870
make different particles.
718
00:35:23,872 --> 00:35:26,639
One arrangement is a proton.
719
00:35:26,641 --> 00:35:30,243
Another arrangement
is a neutron.
720
00:35:30,245 --> 00:35:33,046
Techniquarks work the same way.
721
00:35:33,048 --> 00:35:36,816
Arrange them one way,
and you get a Higgs.
722
00:35:36,818 --> 00:35:39,085
But arrange those techniquarks
another way,
723
00:35:39,087 --> 00:35:40,420
and you get something else
724
00:35:40,422 --> 00:35:42,255
scientists have been
looking for,
725
00:35:42,257 --> 00:35:45,592
a dark-matter particle.
726
00:35:45,594 --> 00:35:48,695
Sannino: So, it's really like
a Lego brick.
727
00:35:48,697 --> 00:35:49,929
You put them together,
728
00:35:49,931 --> 00:35:51,931
and in one form,
you get the Higgs.
729
00:35:51,933 --> 00:35:55,068
And in another form,
you can get the dark matter.
730
00:35:55,070 --> 00:35:59,005
Freeman: Perhaps the reason
the standard-model Higgs
731
00:35:59,007 --> 00:36:00,940
can't explain dark matter
732
00:36:00,942 --> 00:36:05,945
is because the Higgs
is dark matter in disguise
733
00:36:05,947 --> 00:36:09,649
and both particles
are held together
734
00:36:09,651 --> 00:36:12,952
by the techniforce.
735
00:36:12,954 --> 00:36:16,322
There will be definitely
a new force of nature,
736
00:36:16,324 --> 00:36:19,559
so it will be fantastic
opportunity for mankind
737
00:36:19,561 --> 00:36:20,994
to face a new force.
738
00:36:20,996 --> 00:36:25,198
Freeman: Techniquarks could be
glued together in many ways,
739
00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:28,268
constructing several
brand-new particles.
740
00:36:28,270 --> 00:36:32,672
Those particles could be waiting
to be discovered at the LHC
741
00:36:32,674 --> 00:36:38,144
when it comes back online
at much higher energies in 2015.
742
00:36:38,146 --> 00:36:41,781
Francesco hopes that the
Higgs boson recently discovered
743
00:36:41,783 --> 00:36:43,516
is the first candidate.
744
00:36:43,518 --> 00:36:45,151
We just won't know it
745
00:36:45,153 --> 00:36:48,288
until we have enough power
to crack it open.
746
00:36:48,290 --> 00:36:50,089
Sannino: I think it's the duty
of human beings
747
00:36:50,091 --> 00:36:52,926
to understand what is around us
and what makes us.
748
00:36:52,928 --> 00:36:55,562
I think this is really
a fantastic opportunity
749
00:36:55,564 --> 00:36:58,731
to push the boundaries
of science to that degree.
750
00:36:58,733 --> 00:37:01,968
Freeman:
Does the so-called God particle
751
00:37:01,970 --> 00:37:04,404
have multiple faces?
752
00:37:04,406 --> 00:37:08,208
Perhaps the Higgs is not
as almighty as we thought.
753
00:37:08,210 --> 00:37:11,344
But there are much more
mind-bending ideas.
754
00:37:11,346 --> 00:37:12,912
What makes us exist
755
00:37:12,914 --> 00:37:17,133
could be objects
that don't really exist at all.
756
00:37:19,718 --> 00:37:22,587
When we look up
at the night sky,
757
00:37:22,589 --> 00:37:24,722
our moon peers down at us.
758
00:37:24,724 --> 00:37:28,359
It seem to be magically
suspended in thin air,
759
00:37:28,361 --> 00:37:31,862
even though we know
it's being held in place
760
00:37:31,864 --> 00:37:33,798
by the force of gravity.
761
00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,334
What if all matter
in the universe
762
00:37:36,336 --> 00:37:39,537
is actually being anchored
by something else,
763
00:37:39,539 --> 00:37:43,140
something far stranger
than gravity
764
00:37:43,142 --> 00:37:46,911
and far stranger
than the God particle?
765
00:37:49,081 --> 00:37:52,316
Howard Georgi
from Harvard University
766
00:37:52,318 --> 00:37:56,520
has been a particle physicist
for most of his life.
767
00:37:56,522 --> 00:38:00,224
But recently,
he has made a career change.
768
00:38:00,226 --> 00:38:04,595
He is now
an unparticle physicist.
769
00:38:04,597 --> 00:38:07,365
I was trying to think about
770
00:38:07,367 --> 00:38:11,002
what the LHC might see
that was really unusual,
771
00:38:11,004 --> 00:38:15,106
and it occurred to me that
whether there was something
772
00:38:15,108 --> 00:38:19,610
that might show up at the LHC
that was not particles at all.
773
00:38:19,612 --> 00:38:21,979
That was the beginning
of my career
774
00:38:21,981 --> 00:38:23,681
as an unparticle physicist.
775
00:38:23,683 --> 00:38:25,483
Freeman: Like many physicists,
776
00:38:25,485 --> 00:38:28,452
Howard has been trying to fix
the standard model
777
00:38:28,454 --> 00:38:30,254
and come up with new theories.
778
00:38:30,256 --> 00:38:32,623
While working on his equations,
779
00:38:32,625 --> 00:38:36,460
he noticed
some puzzling calculations.
780
00:38:36,462 --> 00:38:40,698
In physics,
massless particles like photons
781
00:38:40,700 --> 00:38:43,601
show up in math
as negative whole numbers.
782
00:38:43,603 --> 00:38:47,104
Howard's equations were
giving him negative numbers,
783
00:38:47,106 --> 00:38:49,440
but they weren't whole numbers.
784
00:38:49,442 --> 00:38:53,077
They were negative fractions.
785
00:38:53,079 --> 00:38:55,046
Georgi: You do this analysis,
786
00:38:55,048 --> 00:38:58,716
and you might get
2 1/2 massless particles.
787
00:38:58,718 --> 00:39:01,352
And then,
you scratch your head and say,
788
00:39:01,354 --> 00:39:02,953
"What? What is going on?"
789
00:39:02,955 --> 00:39:05,122
Freeman:
Howard knew these half numbers
790
00:39:05,124 --> 00:39:06,390
weren't half particles.
791
00:39:06,392 --> 00:39:11,095
They were something new.
He called them unparticles.
792
00:39:11,097 --> 00:39:12,897
Georgi:
There's something happening.
793
00:39:12,899 --> 00:39:14,165
There's some physics,
794
00:39:14,167 --> 00:39:19,103
but it's not the sort of physics
that we're used to.
795
00:39:21,006 --> 00:39:23,207
Freeman:
Howard probed the math deeper
796
00:39:23,209 --> 00:39:25,276
and learned more
about unparticles.
797
00:39:25,278 --> 00:39:30,247
He realized the reason
they came out as fractions
798
00:39:30,249 --> 00:39:32,350
is because they have
fractal dimensions,
799
00:39:32,352 --> 00:39:35,286
much like the branches
of a tree.
800
00:39:35,288 --> 00:39:37,288
Georgi: If you look at the tree,
801
00:39:37,290 --> 00:39:39,190
it's not one-dimensional,
802
00:39:39,192 --> 00:39:41,258
because the tree comes
and it branches,
803
00:39:41,260 --> 00:39:43,861
and then the branches
branch again.
804
00:39:43,863 --> 00:39:45,796
And the branch's branches
branch again.
805
00:39:45,798 --> 00:39:48,599
And the branch's branch's
branches, et cetera and so on.
806
00:39:48,601 --> 00:39:50,935
In a true fractal,
that would go on forever.
807
00:39:50,937 --> 00:39:54,939
Freeman: Unparticles are like
the branches of this tree.
808
00:39:54,941 --> 00:39:56,640
The pattern is the same
809
00:39:56,642 --> 00:40:00,111
no matter how close
or how far away you look.
810
00:40:00,113 --> 00:40:04,382
But normal particles are like
the leaves on the tree.
811
00:40:04,384 --> 00:40:09,086
The closer you get,
the bigger they look.
812
00:40:09,088 --> 00:40:12,690
Georgi: I like the idea
of thinking of the leaves
813
00:40:12,692 --> 00:40:14,092
as the objects
of the standard model
814
00:40:14,093 --> 00:40:16,394
because they have
a definite size,
815
00:40:16,396 --> 00:40:18,396
like a mass that a particle has,
816
00:40:18,398 --> 00:40:23,000
whereas the branches of the tree
don't have a definite size.
817
00:40:23,002 --> 00:40:26,404
Freeman: All of the particles
that make up our universe
818
00:40:26,406 --> 00:40:27,972
have mass,
819
00:40:27,974 --> 00:40:31,542
which physicists believe exists
because of the Higgs.
820
00:40:31,544 --> 00:40:34,311
But perhaps
those particles in the Higgs
821
00:40:34,313 --> 00:40:38,349
are really being governed by an
invisible world of unparticles
822
00:40:38,351 --> 00:40:41,986
that defy the laws
of known physics.
823
00:40:41,988 --> 00:40:46,056
It would mean all matter
particles in the universe
824
00:40:46,058 --> 00:40:48,893
are like the leaves
on this tree.
825
00:40:48,895 --> 00:40:53,898
An invisible tree of unparticles
may be their anchor,
826
00:40:53,900 --> 00:40:58,302
the secret underpinning
of the entire cosmos.
827
00:40:58,304 --> 00:41:01,338
Georgi: That's really the point
of unparticle physics.
828
00:41:01,340 --> 00:41:05,843
In order for this invisible tree
to be interesting,
829
00:41:05,845 --> 00:41:07,445
it has to somehow interact
830
00:41:07,447 --> 00:41:10,014
with the particles
of the standard model.
831
00:41:10,016 --> 00:41:13,317
The leaves will have to
somehow be held up by that tree
832
00:41:13,319 --> 00:41:15,352
or vice versa.
833
00:41:15,354 --> 00:41:17,788
Freeman: So far,
834
00:41:17,790 --> 00:41:21,959
there are no signs
of unparticles at the LHC.
835
00:41:21,961 --> 00:41:27,131
But Howard isn't giving up
as an unparticle physicist.
836
00:41:27,133 --> 00:41:30,401
I don't think we've got
the right picture frankly.
837
00:41:30,403 --> 00:41:32,837
When you have something
that strange
838
00:41:32,839 --> 00:41:37,441
and that different
from what we know,
839
00:41:37,443 --> 00:41:39,477
it's tantalizing.
840
00:41:39,479 --> 00:41:42,246
And so, I think
it's worth continuing
841
00:41:42,248 --> 00:41:45,549
to try to beat on this
complicated mathematics
842
00:41:45,551 --> 00:41:47,418
and see if can make
some more progress.
843
00:41:48,720 --> 00:41:52,156
Freeman: Is the Higgs boson
really the God particle?
844
00:41:52,158 --> 00:41:54,859
Or is there something else
underneath,
845
00:41:54,861 --> 00:41:57,194
something more mysterious?
846
00:41:57,196 --> 00:41:59,930
Do we owe our existence
847
00:41:59,932 --> 00:42:03,100
to something
we might never detect?
848
00:42:03,102 --> 00:42:05,236
For now,
scientists continue to probe
849
00:42:05,238 --> 00:42:08,772
the God particle they have
triumphantly discovered,
850
00:42:08,774 --> 00:42:13,043
hoping they will one day
find out.
851
00:42:13,045 --> 00:42:17,248
The Higgs boson has been playing
a game of hide-and-seek
852
00:42:17,250 --> 00:42:18,349
for decades.
853
00:42:18,351 --> 00:42:21,151
Now that we have
finally found it,
854
00:42:21,153 --> 00:42:23,354
or something like it,
855
00:42:23,356 --> 00:42:27,091
we have more questions
than answers.
856
00:42:27,093 --> 00:42:30,622
Each time physicists find
the key to one door,
857
00:42:30,936 --> 00:42:34,099
they open it just to find,
another door.
858
00:42:34,617 --> 00:42:36,485
And then, five more.
859
00:42:37,215 --> 00:42:40,957
Maybe the Higgs boson really is,
God's particle.
860
00:42:41,490 --> 00:42:45,731
A cosmic puzzle whose solution,
is just another puzzle.
861
00:42:46,439 --> 00:42:49,494
Destined to remain,
an enigma.
862
00:42:49,504 --> 00:42:53,504
Subtital By RA_One67945
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.