Aug 5, 2024
We’re joined by Dr. Jon Butterworth as we delve into two
fascinating books he’s written—Atom Land: A Guided Tour Through the
Strange (and Impossibly Small) World of Particle Physic and Most
Wanted Particle: Inside the World’s Biggest Experiment. In Atom
Land, Jon guides us through the minute world of particle physics,
explaining fundamental forces, quarks, and leptons. Most Wanted
Particle explores the mission of the Large Hadron Collider,
focusing on the quest to find the Higgs boson. Dr. Butterworth
shares his involvement with the machine and the importance of basic
research for technological and economic advancement.
About Dr. Jon Butterworth
Dr. Jon Butterworth is a distinguished physicist with
undergraduate and graduate degrees from Oxford University. He is a
professor of physics at University College London and has served as
the head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. At CERN's
Large Hadron Collider, Jon is the scientific adviser for the UK
delegation. He received the Chadwick Medal in 2013 for his
contributions to high-energy particle physics. In addition to his
academic achievements, Jon is a prolific author and blogger, making
complex scientific concepts accessible to a broader audience.
Show Highlights
(2:00) What forces are and how they underly everything
(8:47) What bosons are and how they fit into the Standard Model
(11:33) The importance of symmetry in physics
(13:40) Which concepts Dr. Butterworth found most difficult to present in Most Wanted Particle
(16:39) The mission of the Large Hadron Collider
(20:23) How scientists interpret data from the Large Hadron Collider with certainty
(22:47) What makes the Higgs boson special
(27:01) Why searching for the Higgs boson and other basic research is so important
Links Referenced
- Atom Land: A Guided Tour Through the Strange (and Impossibly Small) World of Particle Physics https://www.amazon.com/Atom-Land-Through-Impossibly-Particle/dp/1615193731/
- Most Wanted Particle: Inside the World’s Biggest Experiment https://www.amazon.com/Most-Wanted-Particle-Inside-Physics/dp/161519245X/