From Higgs to Humanity: Discoveries for the Common Good

From Higgs to Humanity: Discoveries for the Common Good

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Big scientific discoveries, such as the God particle, can have great Earthly potential that must be shared by the world’s poor. The announcement from CERN that we now have compelling evidence for the Higgs boson — the elementary particle that, according to theory, allows other particles to obtain mass — is widely acknowledged as a significant contribution to our understanding of the universe.

But thoughts have quickly turned to the implications of this momentous discovery — and about the value of the investment of public money, particularly in an age of austerity. What might it offer our quality of life here on Earth? Will this so-called God particle provide the benevolence we associate with a deity by contributing to health or reducing drudgery?