Collider: The Search for the World's Smallest Particles - Paperback

by Paul Halpern (Author)

An accessible look at the hottest topic in physics and the experiments that will transform our understanding of the universe

The biggest news in science today is the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and most powerful particle-smasher, and the anticipation of finally discovering the Higgs boson particle. But what is the Higgs boson and why is it often referred to as the God Particle? Why are the Higgs and the LHC so important? Getting a handle on the science behind the LHC can be difficult for anyone without an advanced degree in particle physics, but you don't need to go back to school to learn about it. In Collider, award-winning physicist Paul Halpern provides you with the tools you need to understand what the LHC is and what it hopes to discover.

• Comprehensive, accessible guide to the theory, history, and science behind experimental high-energy physics
• Explains why particle physics could well be on the verge of some of its greatest breakthroughs, changing what we think we know about quarks, string theory, dark matter, dark energy, and the fundamentals of modern physics
• Tells you why the theoretical Higgs boson is often referred to as the God particle and how its discovery could change our understanding of the universe
• Clearly explains why fears that the LHC could create a miniature black hole that could swallow up the Earth amount to a tempest in a very tiny teapot
• "Best of 2009 Sci-Tech Books (Physics)"-Library Journal
• "Halpern makes the search for mysterious particles pertinent and exciting by explaining clearly what we don't know about the universe, and offering a hopeful outlook for future research."-Publishers Weekly
• Includes a new author preface, "The Fate of the Large Hadron Collider and the Future of High-Energy Physics"

The world will not come to an end any time soon, but we may learn a lot more about it in the blink of an eye. Read Collider and find out what, when, and how.

Back Jacket

Paul Halpern makes the search for mysterious particles pertinent and exciting by explaining clearly what we don't know about the universe, and offering a hopeful outlook for future research.
"--Publishers Weekly"

"Paul Halpern is a gifted writer who brings science and scientists alive. This is a wonderful introduction to the world of high-energy physics, where gigantic machines and tiny particles meet."
--Kenneth Ford, retired director of the American Institute of Physics and author of "The Quantum World: Quantum Physics for Everyone"

"Professor Paul Halpern takes the reader on a stimulating odyssey on topics ranging from particle physics and dark matter to unexplored dimensions of space. . . . Buy this book and feed your mind!"
--Dr. Cliff Pickover, author of "Archimedes to Hawking" and "The Math Book"

"With clarity and a Sagan-esque gift for explanation, Paul Halpern traces the story of how physicists use immensely powerful machines to probe the deepest mysteries of existence. Halpern also conclusively debunks the ludicrous claims that the Large Hadron Collider and other high-energy physics experiments threaten to destroy anything--except our residual ignorance about the nature and workings of our wondrous universe."
--Mark Wolverton, author of "The Science of Superman" and "A Life in Twilight: The Final Years of J. Robert Oppenheimer"

The biggest news in science today is the world's largest and most powerful particle-smasher, the Large Hadron Collider, and the anticipation of finally discovering the Higgs boson particle. But what is the Higgs boson and why is it often referred to as the God particle? Why are the Higgs and the LHC so important? Getting a handle on the science behind the LHC can be difficult for anyone without an advanced degree in particle physics, but you don't need to go back to school to learn about it. In "Collider, " award-winning physicist Paul Halpern provides you with the tools you need to understand what the LHC is and what it hopes to discover.

Author Biography

PAUL HALPERN, PhD, is Professor of Physics at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He is the author of numerous books, including "The Great Beyond" and "What's Science Ever Done For Us?, " both available from Wiley.