Nothing is true, everything is permitted

Do you:

a) work on quantum computing because you believe in it
b) believe in quantum computing because you work on it
c) you the what now?

Operating well above the threshold since 1982

Yo. First up, a little something inspired by the Bacon Badge.

Second, a most appropriate display of homage for Nathaniel Hörnblowér that I found at a garage sale on the weekend.

Peace out.

Higgs boson bandwagon

Since everyone else seems to be posting about a Higgs boson rumour, I decided that I’d better get the 408 blog in on the action.

Although no one in room 408 has anything to do with particular physics these days, I have a lot at stake when it comes to the Higgs boson.

We have a table drawn onto one of the 408 whiteboards; on this table we get people to mark down their beliefs in various physicsy stuff. One of the columns in this table is for the Higgs boson. Yes/No. I am one of the few people who (bravely) marked myself down as ‘No’. We take these sorts of things pretty seriously in room 408…

On top of that, sometimes when I’m getting talkative (when I’ve had a few drinks or something) I start to talk about how the Higgs boson is just an example of physicists becoming obsessed with aesthetics instead of focusing on evidence. Particle physicists generally assume that the Higgs boson exists, and that it’s just a matter of time before it is found. But the only reason anyone believes in it at all is that it’s a neat way to fill some gaps in the theory. I agree that it’s neat, but that doesn’t mean that it’s real. No one said that rules of the universe had to be simple*. Believers in the Higgs have been expecting to see it for a long time now. People keep building bigger and more powerful accelerators with the hope of reaching high enough energies to see the Higgs boson. Meanwhile, it seems to me that theorists keep making up excuses for why it might be just a little bit heavier than was previously expected (“this time for sure!”)

Supersymmetry is like this as well, but even worse.

So if that Higgs thing is found, it could be potentially embarrassing for me, as I will have to re-explain my position to everyone I know… colleagues, friends, family, random people on the street who have asked me about the Higgs boson…

Nar — I’m just kidding. It’s really not a big deal. But I am interested in whether it really does exist or not. I’m also interested in other people’s thoughts on the Higgs boson. So if there is anyone who still reads this blogs, please comment.

(* Actually.. a lot of people have probably said this at some point or other. What I mean is that it hasn’t been proven; but that doesn’t sound as good.)