THE world's leading physicists are facing months and years of painstaking work to unlock the mind-blowing potential of the "God particle" after a breakthrough discovery. Scientists at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) announced yesterday they had discovered a new sub-atomic particle consistent with the elusive Higgs boson, a theoretical particle that is key to the scientific understanding of all matter.
The find was hailed across the globe, with renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking calling for the man who lent his name to the particle, Peter Higgs, to be given the Nobel Prize. After the initial excitement, however, scientists are embarking on a long journey to confirm the particle is indeed the Higgs boson -- and if so, exactly what form it takes.