It's the Holy Grail of particle physics and some call it the "God Particle." Physicists say confirmation of the Higgs Boson particle is one of the most significant discoveries in history.
It's believed to be the reason we exist.
"This Higgs particle is at the very fundament of our understanding."
Dr. Frank Geurts at Rice says Rice played a big role in the experiments that led to the confirmation of the particle.
Physicists say the particle, the existence of which has been theorized since the 1960s, was confirmed using the Large Hadron Collider in Cern, Switzerland. Some of the atom smashing experiments were designed by Rice physicists.
"Fundamental research in helping us understand how nature really works at this microscopic level."
Dr. Geurts says he's not sure what technology will result from the particle's confirmation, but some believe it will lead to dramatic advancements in nano technology.
