Another GOD Particle? CERN Revs Up For A New Particle

This is either a breakthrough or a blip.

Physicists across the globe are apparently revving up with thrill after the biggest atom smasher of the world begins whirring again to produce data, which may verify cautious hints of a completely new particle. Scientists believe this discovery upends the most basic understanding of physics.

In recent months, CERN or the European Center for Nuclear Research has given more oomph to the machinery, known as the Large Hadron Collider, in a 17-mile underground circuit along the French-Swiss border as cited in a news article on Phys Org.

Two separate LHC detectors, in a surprise development in December, had turned up faint signs which indicate a new particle. Since then, theorizing has been widespread among physicists.

"It's a hint at a possible discovery," said theoretical physicist Csaba Csaki. "If this is really true, then it would possibly be the most exciting thing that I have seen in particle physics in my career - more exciting than the discovery of the Higgs itself," he further explained as cited on NBC News.  Csaba Csaki is not directly involved in the experiments.

The LHC (Large Hadron Collider), following a wintertime break, had reopened on March 25 as preparation for a restart in early May. Scientists in CERN are actually doing safety tests as well as scrubbing the pipes clean before they slam together huge bundles of particles hoping to produce sufficient data to resolve that mystery. Not until an August conference of physicists, known as ICHEP, to be held in Chicago is conducted, firm answers concerning the matter are not to be expected for weeks.

The Large Hadron Collider was temporarily immobilized by a weasel on Friday. CERN claims it was a minor glitch that will delay by a few days plans to begin the data collection at the collider, which is worth $4.4 billion.