Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 289 | Cari Cesarotti on the Next Generation of Particle Experiments
Sep 16, 2024
Cari Cesarotti, a postdoc at MIT and recipient of prestigious awards in theoretical physics, dives into the latest in particle experiments. She discusses the limitations of the Standard Model and the frustrating absence of new phenomena since the Higgs boson discovery. Cari explores the future of particle physics through innovative methods like muon colliders, the nuances of neutrinos, and the complexities of proton versus electron collisions. With an eye on dark matter and groundbreaking discoveries, she paints an exciting picture of upcoming scientific adventures.
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Standard Model Beauty and Ugliness
- The Standard Model of particle physics exhibits beautiful patterns, like three generations of particles and gauge bosons mediating forces.
- However, it lacks a fundamental explanation for particle behavior and properties, making it seem "ugly" in a larger context.
Frustrating Accuracy of Standard Model
- The Standard Model is frustratingly good at predicting experimental results, leaving little room for new physics.
- Particle physicists now focus on subtle questions like the origins of particle properties and unexplained phenomena.
The Hierarchy Problem
- The hierarchy problem highlights the vast discrepancy between the Higgs boson's expected mass and its observed mass.
- This difference suggests a fundamental misunderstanding or missing piece in our current theories.