Science Reference Guides

Particle Physics & the Higgs Boson Science Reference Section Science, Technology and Business Division Library of Congress   Selected Books Selected Online Articles Additional Resources And Just For Fun

Simulated data modeled for the CMS detector on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, Source image: CERN Web site.

The nature of matter is the subject of particle physics; it is concerned with the basic constituents of matter and the forces that drive their interaction. The discovery of the Higgs boson, the so-called “God particle” is one of the biggest science stories of our time.

“Our understanding of the universe is about to change.” – CERN

SELECTED BOOKS

Coughlan, G. D., James Dodd, and Ben Gripaios. The ideas of particle physics: an introduction for scientists. 3rd ed. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, c2006. 254 p.
   Bibliography: p. 246-249.
   QC793.2.D6 2006 <SciRR>

Gribbin, John R. Q is for quantum: an encyclopedia of particle physics. Edited by Mary Gribben. New York, Free Press, c1998. 545 p.
   Bibliography: p. 450-452.
   QC793.2.G747 1998 <SciRR>;

Lederman, Leon M., and Dick Teresi. The god particle: if the universe is the answer, what is the question? Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 2006. 434 p.
   QC793.5.B62L43 2006

Marburger, John H. Constructing reality: quantum theory and particle physics. Cambridge, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2011. 287 p.
   Bibliography: p. 275-281.
   QC174.12.M3568 2011 <SciRR>

Sample, Ian. Massive: the hunt for the god particle. London, Virgin Books, 2010. 307 p.
   Includes bibliographical references.
   QC793.5.B62S26 2010b

Sundaresan, M. K. Handbook of particle physics. Boca Raton, FL, CRC Press, c2001. 446 p.
   Bibliography: p. 427-446.
   QC783.S86 2001

Veltman, Martinus. Facts and mysteries in elementary particle physics. River Edge, NJ, World Scientific Pub., c2003. 340 p.
   QC793.2.V45 2003

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SELECTED ONLINE ARTICLES

Kaku, Michio. The Spark that Caused the Big Bang. Wall Street Journal. July 5, 2012.
   http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304141204577508622617259052.html

Markandeya, Virat. Physicists Detect New Heavy Particle. Inside Science News Service, July 4, 2012.
   http://www.insidescience.org/?q=content/physicists-detect-new-heavy-particle/724

Overbye, Dennis. Physicists Find Elusive Particle Seen as Key to Universe. New York Times, July 4, 2012.
   http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/05/science/cern-physicists-may-have-discovered-higgs- boson-particle.html

Why does anything have substance? Hunting the Higgs boson. European Organization for Nuclear Research.
   http://cmsinfo.web.cern.ch/cmsinfo/Physics/HuntingHiggs/index.html

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

About the Higgs Boson.
   http://cms.web.cern.ch/news/about-higgs-boson

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
   http://public.web.cern.ch/public/Welcome.html

A Higgs boson Q&A. John Timmer, science editor, Ars Technica, July 10, 2012.
   http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/a-higgs-boson-qa/

A New Particle Has Been Discovered -- Chances Are, It Is the Higgs Boson. ScienceDaily, July 4, 2012.
   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120704124323.htm

What is the Higgs Boson? John Ellis, theoretical physicist.
  Produced by: CERN Video Productions, 3' 26'' min., 28 June 2012.
   http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1458922

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AND JUST FOR FUN ...

Wouk, Herman. A hole in Texas: a novel. New York, Little, Brown, c2004. 278 p.
   PS3545.O98H65 2004