Collider

Paul Halpern makes the search for mysterious particles pertinent and exciting by explaining clearly what we don't know about the universe, and offering a hopeful outlook for future research.—Publishers WeeklyPaul Halpern is a gifted writer who brings science and scientists alive. This is a wonderful introduction to the world of high-energy physics, where gigantic machines and tiny particles meet.—Kenneth Ford, retired director of the American Institute of Physics and author of The Quantum World: Quantum Physics for EveryoneProfessor Paul Halpern takes the reader on a stimulating odyssey on topics ranging from particle physics and dark matter to unexplored dimensions of space. . . . Buy this book and feed your mind!—Dr. Cliff Pickover, author of Archimedes to Hawking and The Math BookWith clarity and a Sagan-esque gift for explanation, Paul Halpern traces the story of how physicists use immensely powerful machines to probe the deepest mysteries of existence. Halpern also conclusively debunks the ludicrous claims that the Large Hadron Collider and other high-energy physics experiments threaten to destroy anything—except our residual ignorance about the nature and workings of our wondrous universe.—Mark Wolverton, author of The Science of Superman and A Life in Twilight: The Final Years of J. Robert OppenheimerThe biggest news in science today is the world's largest and most powerful particle-smasher, the Large Hadron Collider, and the anticipation of finally discovering the Higgs boson particle. But what is the Higgs boson and why is it often referred to as the God particle? Why are the Higgs and the LHC so important? Getting a handle on the science behind the LHC can be difficult for anyone without an advanced degree in particle physics, but you don't need to go back to school to learn about it. In Collider, award-winning physicist Paul Halpern provides you with the tools you need to understand what the LHC is and what it hopes to discover.