So what if it can't be found?
From Extreme Tech (Sept. 12, 2011):
What does a Higgsless universe mean for science?
We’ve already discussed what the Higgs boson is theorized to be and how important it is to the standard model of physics and how — if it exists — it plays a major role in explaining how particles acquire mass. In that same discussion, we noted that there’s a distinct possibility that the Higgs boson may not even exist, and pointed out that both the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and Tevatron, two massive particle accelerators both searching for the Higgs (among other things) have both searched much of the energy ranges we expected to find the Higgs with no luck.Did you hear the one about the dyslexic, atheist insomniac?
So, then, what does it mean if we don’t find the Higgs at all?
Pointing out that there’s a possibility that the Higgs boson may not exist and that there are other theories around what a Higgsless universe would look like is a fairly controversial statement. When we noted the fact in our last article, there was criticism that such theories have not been vetted or experimentally proven. It’s true, the Higgs is still our best bet for explaining how particles acquire mass, as opposed to simply being energy. Even so, Scientific American reports that the LHC and the Tevatron have both completed surveying over 95% of the energy levels where the Higgs is posited to reside, and neither collider has seen any indication of the particle in their experiments.
No discussion of a Higgless universe would be complete without mentioning Stephen Hawking, who several years ago controversially bet in public that the LHC and any other accelerator looking for the Higgs could search for years and would never find the Higgs....MORE
See also:
Higgs-Boson- If LHC can't find God Particle,Big Bang,String Theory,Standard Model to be "thrown out"
Should CERN have to really crank up the Large Hadron Collider we will make every effort to offer Long or Short Capital's proprietary "End of the Universe Puts":
Back when the LHC was supposed to fire up the first time, we mentioned Long or Short Capital's End of the Universe puts:
...That is why Long or Short is now offering LHC End of the Universe Puts. It’s a simple put option wherein the buyer retains the write to sell the Universe at a strike price of “Existing”. Based on our Black-Holes model used to value all “end of the world” options, the July 2008 vintage options are currently priced at $20....Followed by "Large Hadron Collider Starts Up, Earth Suvives, End of the World Puts Plummet":
UPDATE: The marketers at LoS Capital* are still pushing product:From -Baguette breaks Large Hadron Collider (End of the Universe Puts Trade Down)
...We continue to reiterate the importance of LHC End of the Universe Puts.*At Long or Short LLC, we leverage our superior intellect and extensive investing experience to recommend explicit Long or Short positions and related abstract trades, which may or may not be possible with real world financial derivatives. We use science to improve the lives of the rich.
“The LHC is a discovery machine,” said CERN Director General Robert AymarIf this is true and you extrapolate it out, it is only a matter of time until they discover the end of the Earth and existence as we know it. Who is to say they won’t do that tomorrow? Again, not us.
Recommendation: These securities do NOT benefit from the implicit guarantee of the US government, God or your locally relevant deity. Wink wink nudge nudge, but between you and me, they DO.
More About LoS
