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Deep Dive: Particle Fever (2013)

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Particle Fever
Particle Fever is a documentary that follows the first round of experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN in Switzerland, starting from its first firing in 2008 to the identification of the Higgs boson in 2012. The film features experimental physicists like Fabiola Gianotti and Monica Dunford as they work to resolve issues such as a liquid helium leak that occurred in 2007, which damaged the LHC's electromagnets. The narrative weaves together the efforts of these scientists with the theoretical debates between physicists Nima Arkani-Hamed and Savas Dimopoulos regarding the mass of the Higgs boson and competing theories like the multiverse and supersymmetry. The film culminates in the announcement of the discovery of a Higgs-like particle with a mass of approximately 125 GeV, which is met with emotional reactions from the scientific community, including Peter Higgs himself. Despite the excitement surrounding the discovery, the film concludes with a reflection on the uncertainty of its implications and the lack of definitive support for either competing theory, as noted by David Kaplan.

Why Watch

  • •Follow Fabiola Gianotti's team at CERN
  • •See the first experiments at the LHC
  • •Meet physicists debating the Higgs boson theories

Did You Know

•The LHC suffered a liquid helium leak in 2007 that damaged its electromagnets.
•The Higgs boson was confirmed to have a mass of approximately 125 GeV.
•The film was awarded a $20,000 prize for excellence in science communication in 2015.

Perfect For

Particle physics enthusiastsCERN followersScience communication advocates