[thomma]

Apart from understanding how the Universe works, are there any everyday practical ramifications to finding, or not, the Higgs Boson? What would finding it bring to our day to day existence?

[mathematic]

Not much today, but the future could bring some surprises.

[ajb]

thomma, on 12 January 2012 - 11:54 PM, said:

What would finding it bring to our day to day existence?

The immediate impact is cultural rather than practical.

[thomma]

ajb, on 13 January 2012 - 09:06 AM, said:

The immediate impact is cultural rather than practical.

Although I love the science and reading about it, it just seems a huge amount of money to spend for something that is purely interesting.

[ajb]

thomma, on 13 January 2012 - 02:28 PM, said:

Although I love the science and reading about it, it just seems a huge amount of money to spend for something that is purely interesting.

That is to some extent the nature of fundamental research in physics. However, it is worth noting that large collider experiments are a major feat of engineering and have many spin-off technologies. So the discovery of the Higgs boson itself may not have any immediate applications, parts of the technology needed to make that discovery will.

A couple of years ago the Institute of Physics wrote a report "Particle Physics - It Matters". You can find it here.

[Widdekind]

The following videos seemed informative:

video

video

video

[The french tourist]

thomma, on 13 January 2012 - 02:28 PM, said:

Although I love the science and reading about it, it just seems a huge amount of money to spend for something that is purely interesting.

In my opinion, neither science nor art are to be used for distinct purposes. They ARE to create things purely interesting. A lot of money permitted us to build astonishing monuments, what for ? A lot of money permitted us to uncover a part of the truth about our universe with science, what for ? Nothing practical, it was just to feel we, humans, are special. Then, you have all the applications of science (medicine, convenience...), which is different. It often takes decades before a scientists theory becomes something practical. Therefore, discovering the Higgs Boson will only make us feel like we are getting closer and closer to the truth we have been seeking for thousands years.