CERN experiments detect particle consistent with Higgs boson

BBC : At meeting today in Geneva, CERN scientists announced that the Large Hadron Collider’s two main detectors, ATLAS and CMS, had collected data that are both statistically significant and consistent with properties of the Higgs boson. ATLAS detected a signal at a mass of 126 GeV/ c ² (133 times the mass of the proton). The CMS value was slightly lower at 125.3 GeV/ c ². Both signals met the 5 σ threshold for a detection—that is, they were at least five times stronger than background fluctuations. Although the particle’s mass is not a surprise, more data are needed to determine whether the particle is fully consistent with the so-called standard model of particle physics or whether it partakes of more exotic physics. Exotic or otherwise, the Higgs is not just another particle. According to those theorists, it’s responsible for giving other particles their masses.