
CERN, the European Laboratory for particle physics, regularly makes the news. What kind of research happens at this international laboratory and how does it impact people's daily lives? Why is the discovery of the Higgs boson so important? Particle physics describes all matter found on Earth, in stars and all galaxies but it also tries to go beyond what is known to describe dark matter, a form of matter five times more prevalent than the known, regular matter. How do we know this mysterious dark matter exists and is there a chance it will be discovered soon? About sixty countries contributed to the construction of the gigantic Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and its immense detectors. Dive in to discover how international teams of researchers work together to push scientific knowledge forward. Here is a book written for every person who wishes to learn a little more about particle physics, without requiring prior scientific knowledge. It starts from the basics to build a solid understanding of current research in particle physics. A good dose of curiosity is all one will need to discover a whole world that spans from the infinitesimally small and stretches to the infinitely large, and where imminent discoveries could mark the dawn of a huge revolution in the current conception of the material world.
This book investigates the fundamental questions of particle physics and the practical significance of research conducted at the Large Hadron Collider. Pauline Gagnon, a senior research scientist who worked at CERN, utilizes her professional background to demystify complex concepts for a general audience. She argues that understanding the building blocks of the universe is accessible to non-experts and provides a framework for grasping how international collaboration drives scientific advancement.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Readers frequently note the clarity of the prose, which successfully translates high-level physics into understandable concepts for laypeople. Experts highlight this as a highly accessible entry point for those interested in the current state of particle physics and the operations at CERN.
Page Count:
274
Publication Date:
2016-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191086002
ISBN-13:
9780191086007
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