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CERN file
The Large Hadron Collider, shown here during its construction phase, is the locale where physicists hope many of their most puzzling cases will be solved. But there are other mysteries to ponder in the cosmos.
They may not be on a par with alien goo or liver-eating mutants, but there's a whole collection of real-life X Files that physicists are puzzling over. Some cases eventually will be solved, like the hunt for the elusive Higgs boson. Some will fizzle out, like the case of the faster-than-light neutrinos. And some will baffle the boffins for years and years, like the mystery of dark energy.
Two sharp-eyed truth-squadders discussed how scientists investigate the X Files of physics — and how you can tell when a scientific case is really, truly closed — on "Virtually Speaking Science," an hourlong talk show hosted by yours truly on Wednesday.
Sean M. Carroll and Matt Strassler aren't FBI agents, although they could probably teach Fox Mulder and Dana Scully of "The X Files" a thing or two about critical thinking. They're theoretical physicists (Sean at Caltech, Matt at Rutgers) as well as accomplished writers and bloggers. Carroll is the author of several books, including "The Particle at the End of the Universe," his account of the Higgs boson search. Strassler performs reality checks on the Higgs quest and other big topics in physics on his blog, "Of Particular Significance."
What kinds of X Files are we talking about? Here a sampler:
- The possibility that dark-matter particles are knocking into each other at the center of our Milky Way galaxy, annihilating themselves and giving rise to strange gamma-ray emissions.
- The suggestion that there's an as-yet-unidentified fourth "flavor" of neutrinos, based on an unexplained excess of oscillations in data from Fermilab's MiniBooNE experiment.
- The speculation that a massive wall of fire exists around the event horizon of every black hole, incinerating anything that falls toward the gravitational singularity.
- The puzzle surrounding the size of the proton, which focuses on the fact that two different methods to measure the size have come up with different answers.
The proton problem is "one of those classic scientific puzzles where what's actually going on is probably some other type of issue in the experiment, or the interpretation of the experiment, that doesn't have anything to do with the radius of the proton," Strassler told me during our pre-show interview. "There's a small chance that it's something fundamental and really deep, but it's more likely to turn out to be some little detail."
That sort of thing goes on all the time in science, he said. In fact, some degree of uncertainty surrounds many of the experimental results produced by the scientific process. Professional scientists understand that's "par for the course," Strassler said. "The only thing that's unusual is the level of media attention."
Rutgers
Rutgers physicist Matt Strassler
Sean Carroll via Google+
Caltech physicist Sean Carroll
Are there any tricks of the trade that regular folks can use to figure out how to judge a scientific claim's solidity? Actually, there are plenty. But Strassler's top tip is to develop a better understanding of how news outlets work, and how scientific announcements work.
"We all know how to read advertisements. We know they're selling us something," he said. "But we don't necessarily know how to read an article on the front page of The New York Times or an article in Newsweek. They have a big, exciting topic, but when you look closely, you realize that it's only one person saying this. Or there's been one experiment that shows this. If there's only one, it may be nothing. It may go away."
Carroll said scientists themselves are getting into the public outreach field — either by blogging, as he does on Preposterous Universe, or by creating videos and other user-friendly materials about their research. "It'd be great if more scientists wanted to become regular contributors, to at least try to explain their most recent work," Carroll said.
"I can play devil's advocate on that one," Strassler said. "I worry about us generating so much information that no one's able to sift through and get to the meat of what we really know and what we don't."
"That's a very interesting topic," Carroll replied. "There's a lot of information out there. In some sense, we could still use more, but it's a matter of finding it. That's the big challenge."
To find the podcast for Wednesday's show, just follow this link. You can also cruise through the "Virtually Speaking Science" podcast archives at BlogTalkRadio or iTunes, or click on the links below.
'Virtually Speaking Science' podcasts:
- Ig Nobel impresario Marc Abrahams on weird science in 2012
- Paul Doherty on the Curiosity mission and the year in science
- Shawn Lawrence Otto on the election and the climate issue
- Sean Carroll on what lies beyond the Higgs boson
- Alan Stern on the Uwingu mystery space venture
- George Djorgovski on the future of immersive virtual reality
- JPL's Dave Beaty previews Curiosity's mission on Mars
- SETI Institute's Seth Shostak about aliens and UFOs
- Paul Doherty on solar eclipses and the transit of Venus
- Veronica Ann Zabala-Aliberto on spaceflight and Yuri's Night
- JPL's Dave Beaty on the search for life on Mars
- Shawn Lawrence Otto on science and politics
- Ig Nobel impresario Marc Abrahams on silly science
- Rocket scientist Robert Zubrin on Mars exploration
- Propulsion expert Marc Millis on interstellar spaceflight
- Sean Carroll on the puzzling frontiers of physics
- Rand Simberg on the private-enterprise vision for spaceflight
- Martin Hoffert on the future of energy policy
- George Djorgovski on science in virtual worlds
- Alan Stern on suborbital research and NASA's mission to Pluto
- Col. 'Coyote' Smith on the outlook for space solar power
- Tim Pickens on rocket ventures and the Google Lunar X Prize
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
"Virtually Speaking Science" airs on Wednesdays on BlogTalkRadio. In addition to Alan Boyle, the hosts include Tom Levenson, director of MIT's graduate program in science writing; and Jennifer Ouellette, science writer and "Cocktail Party Physics" blogger.
First published at 7:08 p.m. ET Feb. 6, last updated at 10:30 p.m. ET.
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The number one problem with the theory of the Higgs boson (at least at the present time), is that they are counting on the rapid decay of the Higgs boson to reveal the existence of the Higgs boson. Doesn't anyone else see a potential 'conflict of (existential) interest' here? - Rick Carter
Theory provides a number of pathways to Higgs creation and decay. Until other energy settings are explored it is tough to tell.
HEY ALAN, look into...
The controversial Lunar Alllias effect: "During the total eclipses of the sun on June 30, 1954, and October 22, 1959, quite analogous deviations of the plane of oscillation of the paraconical pendulum were observed..." - Maurice Allais.
And radioactive decay variances with distance to sun and onset of solar flares. ( http://phys.org/news202456660.html )
Want to solve some real X-files?
Tell them to look into the Rendlesham Forest Incident at a USAF in Britain.
If light is cannot escape a black hole , is it destroyed, where does it go, <<<?
It goes back into the battery. ;-P
Every cell, molecule, quark, planet, moon, star etc incorporates a black hole at its nucleus. Instigated reactions to a black hole produce its atomic reactions. Its not that a black hole is empty its that its many particles are so small as not to interact with matter as we know it.
PS -- I do have an experiment that shows fire and carbon incorporated in (a black hole) the nucleus of a cell!
Or maybe they're just too shy
The mechanisms of black holes are purely speculative. They are also solutions to relativity equations that cross into quantum mechanics where it is unclear how they even apply. It is possible that a gravimetric field with acceleration exceeding the speed of light induces a phase change in the fabric of space-time and matter instead of forming a singularity. It might be that the energies released by material and light falling into a black hole represent the same energies released when matter and antimatter encounter each other.
I only hope the black holes open a way into a universe where people all speak to each other in ways that everyone can understand. Think of what humanity could accomplish if only people knew what the heck others were talking about.
the photon is torn apart by gravity, unlike a photon near neutron stars. Current theory says quarks, many suspect something makes up quarks, and then that would be the result. Yes photons do have mass and they are particles. If you moved that fast, you would appear like a wave to most other matter.
Good question, It deserved a "correct" answer. In quotes because it will all be theory for a very long time.
This sounds more like 'Fringe' science than 'X Files'. Dr Walter Bishop would be right on top of this. :-)
so here is a theory
dark light- dark light travels faster than light-the dark we see at night is now the light from the stars is history-
take two prisms -they have to have the correct angle be exactly similar -size depending on containment unit -super cool the air inside to replicate space align the two prism with points out-the end result will look like an eye
take two u-v lights purple lasers and shoot through the end of both prisms they are the same charge -the prisms are the spun one direction the other the opposite -this causes a tornado affect-which has electromagnetically charges circling down the tornadoes to create a funnel the electrons collide creating cold fusion due to the cool air and will repel each other like a jacobs ladder affect
now the unit as magnets that can increase the electromagnetism at the area of collision this will create the energy by increasing the pull of energy decrease to decrease the energy there is a mirrored dome around it which reflects the ray of energy out woulds you can affect the amount but the electromagnetic and spinning time of the prisms
now we can travel faster than light speed(needs refining and diagrams which i have
i am flat broke so- i am more than willing to sell my ideas for payments and residual usage-please contact me morgancadle@live.com
now cancer i believe grows in the dark areas of the body shade by bone density and location of organs -now if cancer is black then the cure is white light to penetrate those areas and shed light on the mutated dark cells-they evolve the opposite to white cells -it is the same affect as swimming in a pool during the summer month in florida
-the light refracts through the water and is reflected of the bottom back penetrating the body from both sides
no shade-bone density will hold a key as the stronger the density the darker the area behind it
just some thoughts
contacts should be designed like insects eyes-our eyes only pick up 1% of light spectrum's(found on stumble upon-they can also see electromagnetism or an aura if you like
so solution a water tank that reflects the light very important to have the whole of the light spectrum shine neon lights of reflect the light=this should illuminate the dark cells and they will die because the environment changes of development thus reversing the cancer-also refer to the cancer in the brain that grows and actually regresses
anemia- use a potassium based product as this is the element in blood that coagulates blood-in wikipedia
maybe MS can be treated the same way as a spot on the brain if pops releases oil that is the white spots you see on the brain is the reflection of light
interesting point if you look at someone reading the phone ans wearing bifocal lenses eg my wife out the back while smoking the affect as i look at the lens is the bi focal used from the opposite direction creates depth and perception 3d
just some thoughts
i've been looking for a job now as my limo company in lantana is not doing well thanks to local gov-need upfront money and to stay in this area but relocation i will consider-gotta go where theirs money
i was hoping those guys who want to build space ships and a death star hire me-first think to do is get the
lease for the Kennedy space center as it is owned by Delaware parks co-so we can pay them in shares and profit sharing
we could get more funding after producing some engines i also have an idea of using propulsion using a magnet to attract the positive electron by using negative these collisions will cause movement -now to get even better we spin a positive charge tornado and i a funnel that greats a density at its base and creating energy
i have designs for drilling equipment built on the design of a worm where the rock is crushed and taken along a conveyor belt to the ship
solve the atmosphere on mars and the hole in the atmosphere by pulling debris from the kupiter belt
we then have land to live on as well as pa tricks in satellite beach to view safety and test equipment
some may think i am already in space but unfortunate and happily in our time 2/7/2013 and i intend us all to experience our new playground
my only concern is how people would react to another species that does not look like us
i hope they find Indian bones soon in lantana-so the holy si city will change the perceptions on gambling and sex-they are natural activities and have nothing to do with belief or faith so we can build a hotel and casino build by locals and ran by it-we all get shares in it-if the local gov won't do it we should anyway
Don't give up, many, many scientists were poor, their entire lives. Don't fight city hall, join 'em. Most species consider most any other species as competitors for limited resources. The first, and most difficult step is to say "hello" instead of "move along". Please don't advocate moving mars' into a closer orbit. That kind of thinking might just catch on in our modern world of knee jerk reactionaries. You really need to take a few more science classes, I would suggest some free wones, start by googling coursea. Experiment. That is the ONLY way. Do not follow madam curie, as brilliant has she and her husband were, they did not ask enough questions. Ask questions, don't pick answers you like. Hope that helps.
quote: BruceVoigt
Dark matter of outer space is made up of (aura) info cells of all Earth. We are not made for this planet but are made of it.
If there is a nook or cranny any where in our Universe that conditions will allow evolution of Earth life, it has happened.
What I am excitingly waiting for is news that one of our robots has successfully penetrated another universe. If so this would confirm that our info cells known as dark matter or energy also could and life as we know it will be.
When will we be able to create super heroes as opposed to just relying on them randomly being born? My fellow natural born super heroes' ranks are thinning and we could use some new members to assist in saving the world. Something like Dr. Manhattan would be too scary but we could deal with a Flash or Night Crawler. Those powers seem like they would be attainable through physics.
If quantum free space actually has mass, it very well could be giving off strange gamma- ray emissions as it encounters the event horizon of the black hole at the center of our galaxy. I have theorized that matter is composed of both quantum bound energy AND quantum bound space, and when matter is converted to quantum free energy, matter is also proportionally converted to quantum free space, and that this is the basis for the spatial expansion or inflation of our Universe, starting with the "Big Bang". I have also theorized that quantum free space possesses a minute amount of mass, which would allow quantum free space to vary in density relative to the influence gravitational fields, and it also would account for some of the missing mass of our Universe. These strange gamma-ray emissions coming from the center of our galaxy could be part of the proof which we need to determine the true nature of space. - RC
The flat Universe theory is one day destined to go the same way the flat Earth theory did, I just probably won't be around anymore when it finally does. You can know that we live in a closed system, finite, curved space Universe, because you can look out in any direction from here on Earth, and if you look far enough out (and back in time) in any direction, you are always looking out (and back in time) to the very same point in space and time, which in turn is the "Big Bang" origin of our Universe. - RC
X-files, is, ( I WAN"T TO BELIEVE ) But, i find it very hard to believe, there was a Big Bang. And if there was a Big Bang, did a ancient, advanced planet, that was experimenting with a super collider, blow itself up, and cause the So-called Big Bang? If so, I WANT TO BELIEVE, we won't make it happen again. Also, i think i may have discovered, what i think is the speed of dark.
As always, these comments are from me, and not my computer. Any errors here, are from my computer.
WOW!!! I really have to give up mushroom omlettes....is it just me...OR...does the photo of the LHC with this article look like something from M.C. Escher????
Yeah, kind of - like you're looking down, and you could climb up those steps on any side.. but then there's a guy standing at the bottom.
Suppose...Black Holes are reservoirs of anti-matter, could the gamma rays be the result of the interaction of in falling matter with anti-matter? Could this then imply that gravity is another of form of 'energy' (energy absorption) and normal energy and gravity are interchangeable. Gravity then represents a negative energy permeating the universe. We know that all forms of normal energy are interchangeable; electromagnetic, kinetic, falling objects... Matter/anti-matter, normal energy/gravity...
In short, anti-matter, which exists, mostly unseen, all around us in our day-to-day world is then the source of gravity. If anti-matter in our world is associated with Neutrons and beta decay, then normal Hydrogen does not generate a gravitational attraction on other normal Hydrogen atoms. Hydrogen attracted by the earth etc. may not be 'centered'. There may be more involved in the initial, first step, fusion of Hydrogen than is now believed? There may be more involved in the start of star formation? There may indeed be an actual balance between matter and anit-matter/Energy and gravity...Black holes are anti-matter and matter under extreme gravity converts to anti-matter, energy to gravity, gravity to energy?
Doesn't fit the 'model'? The Polemic system was not overthrown by Ptolemaic calculations; but by imagination and new calculations.
I call for America to build the successor to the LHC. Although I still maintain that the biggest known particle collier is saturn, and getting sensors out there now would be a real eye opener for all us particle dudes.
One needs only look at the nobel prize winners (i spelled it correctly the first time whiners) and their respective countries, graph that over time, to see why the USA lags. I will just laugh if china builds the first real fusion reactor and laughs in our faces, denies us the tech and embargoes US for trying to catch up......
Meanwhile the mysteries of physics abound. I will puzzle for a long time over the hexagon on pluto. (saturn too, but I am beginning to get a grip on it, I just do not see a solution in fluid dynamics, where it belongs). As well, there are several great questions on mars and more will show as we dig deeper (pun intended).
2/8/2013 earth gregroian time
i can deal with the tree of life -jedi's witches warlocks vamps aliens etc spirts neverland ALL REAL
it's this deal of me associated with the church the royalty of wales owning the world
it's this deal with demons and gods meeting -all different types
i only have a say in my chuch-some guy called frank the krank is here they are cool -pirates like me
sorry im not exactly what you want but in a drunken stooper i think i drank some blood i thought was wine-not my fault -now i have this and i'm getting blamed
i just wanted my wife and kids to be happy so i thought i could do it with science -thats all me -jedi all me-yoda's here
but your gods are way out of my league so if the knights i married into-i'm head of vamps to church
wtf
aliens exist
you see the problem i don't like the church and i'm the head and now our religion is being judged and my soul is on the line
the thing that keeps me going is my wife family an kids they are still here-i'm kind of scared im a self proclaimed athesist
the russians better come and meet your queen she's got a tempper and wants to be traeted like royalty including your princess
they love haitithat someones coming round the back to my neighbors garden
the knights columbus saints what ever you are do something it's trying to ruin our fun and christmas reunion at the site of the battle
now get this alien gods i have no idea what they are talking about but someone has to come guess we all fought to gether as a galaxy
nbc news this morning where was he-neverland
it's cool
but
Science is jumping a head by leaps and bounds.
CERN with its discovery of faster than light is just one helping me crawl out of the kook stage of science
Thunder (the collapse of air cells) creates the energy of what we call lightning.
Thunder happens first!
Sound travels much faster than light !
The sound that we play around with is leftover energy of reactions that have magnetically regrouped into larger chips (molecules). This leftover energy is just one in many that an air cell absorbs at it’s nucleus!
Considering new technology, and I was listening from the Moon “I would hear your hum or whistle before you would!”