Experiments at CERN point towards the discovery of the Higgs boson particle, scientists at the organisation have said.
Researchers at the Large Hadron Collider, an underground facility near Geneva, have been searching for evidence of the theoretical particle first postulated by Peter Higgs.
Scientists at have said that tantalising hints have been seen by experiments there, but these are not yet strong enough to claim a discovery.
First glimpse
Experiments at have produced a considerable amount of data, analysis of which suggests the existence of the particle. However, researchers say more work is needed to claim the discovery of the Higgs.
Unifying theory
The Higgs boson particle is thought to be a tiny yet crucial building block of physical matter that gives mass to all other particles. The Higgs has a key role in the Standard Model of physics, which defines our understanding of the physical world. The particle has dominated the field of particle physics for 40 years. Over the coming months, scientists will be further refining their analyses. However, a definitive statement on whether the Higgs exists will require more data, and is not likely until late in 2012.
We cannot conclude anything at this stage. We need more study and more data. We will not need to wait long for enough data and can look forward to resolving this puzzle in 2012.
Fabiola Gianotti
Spokesperson, ATLAS experiment at CERN