CERN: How We Found the Higgs Boson

Krause (All About Tesla) tells the story of CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) and the search to verify the existence of the Higgs boson, sometimes referred to as "the God Particle" and elementary particle in the Standard Model of particle physics. An interweaving mix of stories from scientists at CERN, photos and diagrams of the research equipment and buildings, and historical background on development of the Standard Model allow the author to illustrate the significance of the organization and its unique place in contemporary research. There is also a glossary of pertinent terms to help those unfamiliar with the science concepts. Krause delivers a successful summary of what makes discovery of the Higgs boson special and how contemporary researchers build upon the works of earlier scientists. By wisely choosing to let the scientists tell their own stories, the author demonstrates the need for many minds to contribute in different roles and how scientists see the art and beauty behind basic ideas of the field. Krause's structure allows terminally distracted readers to skip around and find meaning in each section. Readers seeking a similar approach to Krause's will be interested in Sean Carroll's The Particle at the End of the Universe (2012) and Lisa Randall's Warped Passages (2005).