Atom smasher to narrow search for Higgs boson
Scientists at the world's largest atom smasher say new data shows with greater certainty where to find a long-sought theoretical particle that would help explain the origins of the Universe.
Physicists at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, told The Associated Press that reams of new data will help in the search for the mysterious particle, the Higgs boson.
Finding it would be an enormous scientific breakthrough for the physics world and would explain why matter has mass.
CERN scientists say their data will be made public next Tuesday, but any firm discovery will have to wait until next year.
Speculation about progress in the hunt for the Higgs had the physics world and blogosphere buzzing Thursday. (Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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