What Is The Higgs Field? Matt Strassler [Ep. 460]

Have we been completely wrong about the Higgs boson? What if it’s not what we think but something far more elusive? And what does the origin of mass in the universe have to do with music?

Here today to explore these mind-bending questions is theoretical physicist Matt Strassler. Matt is known for his work in particle physics, particularly in the context of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and quantum field theory. He has been involved in research on the Higgs boson, supersymmetry, and other topics in high-energy physics. 

In our insightful interview, we dive into the mysteries of quantum physics, the nature of space, and how waves—not just particles—form the building blocks of reality. 

Tune in to find out how the Higgs field gives mass to everything in the universe! 

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00:00 Intro 
• 00:01:24 Deepak or Matt? 
• 00:03:18 Judging a book by its cover 
• 00:06:27 Energy, frequency, and vibration 
• 00:11:53 What is a phib, and why should the reader care? 
• 00:16:15 Galileo’s impact 
• 00:20:51 The Higgs field and the Higgs boson
• 00:28:17 Fine-tuning problems of matter and anti-matter 
• 00:33:57 Renormalization 
• 00:38:59 The luminiferous ether
• 00:49:08 Why Mach didn’t play a part in Matt’s book 
• 00:52:08 Inflation and the Higgs field
• 00:55:35 Rapid questions 
• 01:03:21 Outro

Additional resources:

➡️ Learn more about Matt Strassler: 

💻 Website: https://profmattstrassler.com/ 

✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/mattstrassler 

📚 Waves in an Impossible Sea by Matt Strassler: https://a.co/d/1E8MxT8

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Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known.

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