Quote:
Originally Posted by Suzy
Does anyone know why this is referred to as the "champagne particle" by scientists (more popularly known as the God particle that the media have coined)?
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Hi Suzy,
I'm not sure that it is referred to this way by scientists. Apparently the British Guardian held a competition for an alternative name and chose "the champagne bottle boson" as the winner. The Higgs potential is in the shape of the bottom central part of a wine bottle (also Mexican Hat shaped).
The experimental physicist Leon Lederman initially wanted to call the Higgs Boson "the goddamn particle" because no-one could find it. However his editor wouldn't pass this one and his book was titled "The God Particle: If the Universe is the Answer, What is the Question?". The media were quick to adopt the God particle.
Regards, Rob