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I met one of the discoverers of the Higgs boson
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chuhl
Posted 2012-10-24 2:42 AM (#4287)
Subject: I met one of the discoverers of the Higgs boson



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Yesterday I heard a presentation by Sau Lan Wu, one of the physicists who discovered the Higgs boson. She explained what the Higgs boson is and how they found it. She and her team were the ones who reported the "five sigma" level of proof, which is the particle physics threshold for discovery. She was also instrumental in discovering the charm quark and the gluon, so she's had some career already, and she's still looking for new particles.

She told us some fascinating things. The Large Hadron Collider simulates the condition of the universe 10 to the -12th seconds after the Big Bang, so it's as hot as the Big Bang. It's one of the hottest places in the galaxy. You'd think that would melt the world, wouldn't you? That blows my mind.

She went to Vassar on a full scholarship (her father wouldn't pay for her education) and then did her graduate work at Harvard. A guard actually kicked her out of her own commencement dinner at Harvard because there hadn't been a woman there in 100 years. "I left with tears in my eyes," she said. Unbelievable.

The auditorium was mobbed, and students lined up for her autograph at the end. I got one, too. I figured, How often do you get to met somebody like this?


Edited by chuhl 2012-10-24 2:43 AM
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Administrator
Posted 2012-10-24 9:05 AM (#4291 - in reply to #4287)
Subject: RE: I met one of the discoverers of the Higgs boson



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That is pretty much the definition of "nerdy-cool" right there.  Sounds like an interesting talk and I love the idea of getting her autograph like she was a movie star.  Thanks for sharing! 

I can't help but picture Sheldon in the auditorium scoffing at her assertions and telling Leonard that he found the Higgs boson first.

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Deven Science
Posted 2012-11-21 10:11 AM (#4342 - in reply to #4287)
Subject: Re: I met one of the discoverers of the Higgs boson



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Location: Sacramento, California		That's very cool, indeed! Thanks for sharing that story.

Where was this at?
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Administrator
Posted 2012-11-21 10:43 AM (#4343 - in reply to #4342)
Subject: Re: I met one of the discoverers of the Higgs boson



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Location: Dallas, Texas		Apparently they need to rename the Higgs boson.
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chuhl
Posted 2012-11-21 11:09 PM (#4350 - in reply to #4287)
Subject: Re: I met one of the discoverers of the Higgs boson



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> Where was this at?

This was at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, Sau Lan Wu's alma mater (mine, too .
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