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The Higgs Boson and Beyond

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The Higgs Boson and Beyond

By: Sean Carroll, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Sean Carroll
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About this listen

The discovery of the Higgs boson is a triumph of modern physics. The hunt for the Higgs was the subject of wide media attention due to the cost of the project, the complexity of the experiment, and the importance of its result. And, when it was announced with great fanfare in 2012 that physicists has succeeded in creating and identifying this all-important new particle, the discovery was celebrated around the world.

And yet, virtually no one who read that news could tell you what, exactly, the Higgs boson was, and why its discovery was so important that we had to spend 10 billion dollars and build the single largest and most complex device in the history of mankind in order to find it. When you understand the details, this story ranks as one of the most thrilling in the history of modern science.

Award-winning theoretical physicist Sean Carroll, a brilliant researcher as well as a gifted speaker who excels in explaining scientific concepts to the public, is perfectly positioned to tell this story. In this 12-lecture masterpiece of scientific reporting, you'll learn everything you need to know to fully grasp the significance of this discovery, including the basics of quantum mechanics; the four forces that comprise the Standard Model of particle physics; how these forces are transmitted by fields and particles; and the importance of symmetry in physics.

You also get an in-depth view of the Large Hadron Collider - the largest machine ever built, and the device responsible for finally revealing the concept of the Higgs boson as reality. By the end, you'll understand how the Higgs boson verifies the final piece in the Standard Model of particle physics, and how its discovery validates and deepens our understanding of the universe.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2015 The Great Courses (P)2015 The Teaching Company, LLC
Physics Thought-Provoking
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What listeners say about The Higgs Boson and Beyond

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a level above popular science

this is a fantastic course but it shouldn't be your first course in particle physics. I highly recommend the great courses particle physics course as a prerequisite to this course (I forgot the name but there is one major course). this course is a level above popular science and also the great courses physics series. if that is what you are after you won't be disappointed. it's fascinating to understand a little more about the theory and also more of the logistics of these particle physics breakthroughs.

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Worth a price

Really good insight into the subject of particles and / or its fields with superb interesting related facts. one of the best which I have found on here

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interesting subject read by an expert

loved it, a bit more detail in each lecture would have been brilliant but the lectures still served as an interesting laymans guide.

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Answers the "so what" about the Higgs Boson

I'd previous read Lee's book about the discovery of the Higgs Boson - "the Particle at the end of the Universe" and this course compliments it brilliantly.

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12 people found this helpful

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Superbly Informative

What would otherwise be mind-boggling ideas, were explained in such a way that made them easy for anyone to understand, and would thoroughly quench anyone's thirst for knowledge.
Another great audio book from The Great Courses.

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Excellent exposition of particle physics

The speaker was as good as could be making the subject somewhatintelligible to a motivated non-scientist

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Enlightening

Even after completing a PhD in experimental physics at CERN, including courses in field theory and the standard model, I found this lecture series explained the subject so well that it was like watching a very complicated jigsaw coming together. Brilliantly explained.

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Intense

If you could sum up The Higgs Boson and Beyond in three words, what would they be?

Intense, insightful and complex

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Neither. Its about the Higgs Boson….and beyond

Any additional comments?

Listened to an audible book by Sean Caroll before and the quality and content of the book was equally as good.

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Beyond the usual pop science treatment

I had almost given up on popular expositions of modern physics: clichéd, patronising and hackneyed. This course could not be more different. What a joy to hear an expert in full flow, in full command of the subject and not glossing, skipping over difficult concepts or resorting to feeble analogies. You feel as if he is speaking to you as a peer, as someone who is designing detectors at CERN or working with the standard model. I will be listening again and learning as much the second time round.

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4 people found this helpful

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Dive in, it's great!

I'm very much an average Joe when it comes to these things. I didn't study physics after the age of 16 and my maths reports weren't, er, glowing. I've read a few popular science books.

So, would I, with the best will in the world, understand this? Well, no lot all of it...but a good deal of it, and I thoroughly enjoyed being taken on this amazing journey.

Prof Carroll has a soothing purr of a voice. He manages to sound very relaxed while also speaking with great precision. He often repeats an idea over a few sentences which, for me, is great.
It gives your brain time to take it in. He explanations are very clear.

In summary, if you're a bit worried that this might be more than you can chew (as I was) just dive in.

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