This is what 'peer review' really means.

[Sceadwian]

Atlas results.

CMS results.

This is what science is all about. Just looks at the list of persons involved and the reference lists.

 

[cowboybob]

I've been through "peer reviews" in the past. But I'll have to say, nothing even vaguely approaching these.

Scary.

The last sentence of the Conclusion, however, does give one pause:

"...Although these results are compatible with the hypothesis that the new particle is the Standard Model Higgs boson, more data are needed to assess its nature in detail."

To me that's saying two things:

1. What was detected (seen, sensed, observed) is not definitive evidence of the existence of the SM Higgs boson and so:

2. "more data" is needed. That's pretty much saying that "We need more time and money to pursue this concept because, frankly, we're just not quite there yet".

Probably one of the most common sentences used at the end of most (if not all) Grant Report documents.

But, isn't that what research is all about? Gotta pay for it somehow.

 

[jpanhalt]

Atlas results.

CMS results.

This is what science is all about. Just looks at the list of persons involved and the reference lists.

Obviously, it is science, big science (i.e., extraordinarily expensive),

I don't understand what you mean by , "This is what science is all about." A lot of science is being done that is neither as big nor as expensive.

John

 

[Sceadwian]

jpanhalt. The discovery of a particle consistent with the Higgs Boson, which previously only existed in theory is one of the single most fundamentally important advancements in physics since Einstein came up with the general/special relativity. Up until it's discover virtually all of current cosmological theory is at best a wild guess in the realm of pure mathematics.

The next big steps will be identifying dark energy/dark matter. I can't provide a link currently but a recent study has prooved through mapping of the cosmic background radiation against known maps of local and distance galaxy clusters that proves with a 99.996% certainty that dark energy exists, even if they don't know what it is.

 

[cowboybob]

jpanhalt. I can't provide a link currently but a recent study has prooved through mapping of the cosmic background radiation against known maps of local and distance galaxy clusters that proves with a 99.996% certainty that dark energy exists, even if they don't know what it is.

I think you're referring to the study done in the early 1950s(?) that discovered (observed) a generalized, universally prevalent cosmic background "heat" of 4°s above absolute zero (+4°s Kelvin). I think this is the "dark energy" to which you're referring.

Last time I remember reading about it, it was considered the "leftover" heat of the Big Bang (perhaps a dated concept now).