Prime Symmetry and Particle Physics

Book excerpt: Is it possible to take a set of particle masses and then work backwards to find a hidden symmetry? Does the Higgs Boson have a partner particle and might that particle solve the mystery of dark matter? Can the tiny masses of neutrinos be predicted? Prime Symmetry and Particle Physics begins with the understanding that the constant π does not have to be measured in spacetime: it can be calculated from a set of real numbers. Former PhD student, George Brewer explores the idea that if this is true of π, why not of other constants? A standard model of physics predicts interactions between quantum fields when particles scatter, but 26 numbers, dimensionless constants for force strengths and the masses of elementary particles, still need to be put into that model. Brewer proposes that many of those constants can actually be calculated from a single equation and a set of integer parameters – a theory that he calls the prime symmetry model. Comparing a set of measured constants against their calculated counterparts provides good evidence for the model's validity. Brewer opens the door for readers to join a select group with information that theorists and experimentalists at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are yet to consider, offering them the opportunity to verify the model’s deceptively simple mathematics for themselves, simply by using an online scientific calculator. Inspired by Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking and Sean Carroll, Prime Symmetry and Particle Physics is an essential read for all particle physics enthusiasts. The book will also appeal to readers interested in the Higgs boson events at the LHC.