Eek! The Universe Is Going To Collapse! And Its All Higgs Fault!

[LazyGun]

Do not properly understand the math behind this claim at all, but I am making out my will as we speak :)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2523177/Could-universe-collapse-TODAY-Physicists-claim-risk-likely-started.html

Its the TODAY in capital letters from the DMs title that has me worried...

[bookbinder]

Well, it IS Friday the 13th today, so maybe we should expect something disastrous to happen.

[Lie-in King]

Who's going to benefit from your will after the universe collapses?

[penelope2]

So every particle will become extremely heavy then, well that's buggered my diet then.

[Baldric]

The Daily Mail you say?
Wouldn't worry too much about it then!

[Old_Geezer]

Oh goodie. A big crunch.

[Lie-in King]

I really won't be able to lift myself out of bed? Yaaaaaaaaaaay!!

[Old_Geezer]

I expect we'll bounce back.

[jim360]

I love how they leave the final bit worth mentioning at the end: that "If the universe contains undiscovered particles, the whole basis for the prediction of phase change would prove false." Given that we already "know" that such particles exist (or have good reason to suspect that they must) then the doom-mongering is just a bit pointless.

[Quoi]

...apologies for having this universe collapse on my christmas list.... its the only way I could be debt free.

[2sp_]

I do hope the Universe isn't going to collapse today, I was looking forward to a long lie tomorrow.

Though, I suppose if it does collapse, I'll have the longest long lie ever.

[LazyGun]

@bookbinder I had completely missed the fact that is was friday 13th :) That would indeed explain the TODAY!!!! reference...

@Lie -in Good Point! Tears up will leaving everything to Lie-in :)

@Jim So what about the Physics/Maths behind the Phase Transition thing. Jim? Is this just fruitcake physics, or is there anything serous/useful in it?

[jim360]

Oh, the maths itself is fine -- it's just that the starting assumption for a Universe-ending phase transition is that we've found all the particles there are to find -- which is highly doubtful. I think the main point of this paper is to refine those calculations in the unlikely event that they are true, rather than to spell doom and gloom. But the Higgs field is known to be tied in with the fate of the Universe in some way.

[jeffa]

LOL! The universe is going to collapse due to the DISCOVERY of the Higgs boson particle? So, if it hadn't been discovered, we'd still be OK? What a load of hogwash!

[Lie-in King]

Woohoo, I'll be rich! Ah, and non-existent.... Oh, rats!

[LazyGun]

@jim "But the Higgs field is known to be tied in with the fate of the Universe in some way"

Any recommends for articles that might discuss this in a man-in-the -street way? Sounds interesting, but my eyes glaze over when the equations start to fly too freely :)

[jim360]

I'll do some digging.

[jake-the-peg]

// contains undiscovered particles, the whole basis for the prediction of phase change would prove false." Given that we already "know" that such particles exist (or have good reason to suspect that they must)//

*must*?

Are we referring to Supersymetry here Jim?

Remind me how many versions of that beautiful theory have been broken on the ugly wheel of experiment at CERN

-I'm loosing track ;c)

[paddywak]

Typical,just had solar panels fitted and the worlds going to end again.

[aelmpvw]

'today or in a billion years' ... that's what i call hedging your bets

[gness]

When I read this, LG.....I thought I may as well eat all the choccy presents I had wrapped for Christmas....It's getting late now....nothing has happened and it looks like I may have to replace them.... :-(