NS: Closing in on the inflaton, mother of the universe

[bystander]

Closing in on the inflaton, mother of the universe
New Scientist | Physics & Math | 18 Aug 2010

The inflaton particle is credited with generating the universe and fuelling its inflation. It has yet to be discovered, but it is fast running out of hiding places, thanks to the theoretical framework known as supersymmetry (SUSY).

Enormous and mainly extinct, supersymmetric particles are the dinosaurs of particle physics. Each of these "sparticles" is the partner of a known particle, and they have already solved several cosmological problems, including smoothing the way for a long-sought grand unified theory of physics.

Now two theories suggest that some sparticles might also be components of the elusive inflaton, which is thought to have driven space-time apart at the dawn of the universe.

If either theory turns out to be correct, it would constitute a first glimpse of the cosmic process of inflation. What's more, one of the new theories will soon be put to the test by collisions occurring at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN near Geneva, Switzerland.

[oldnewideas]

'Inflation' was one of many 'add-ons' invented to support the failure of Big Bang to live up to improved observations. "Oh, two plus two doesn't add up to five!? Well, we'll add a 'one' to that equation .. which means 2 + 2 = 6. Can anyone improve on that theory?"

[Beyond]

Closing in on the inflaton, mother of the universe
New Scientist | Physics & Math | 18 Aug 2010

The inflaton particle is credited with generating the universe and fuelling its inflation. It has yet to be discovered, but it is fast running out of hiding places, thanks to the theoretical framework known as supersymmetry (SUSY).

Enormous and mainly extinct, supersymmetric particles are the dinosaurs of particle physics. Each of these "sparticles" is the partner of a known particle, and they have already solved several cosmological problems, including smoothing the way for a long-sought grand unified theory of physics.

Now two theories suggest that some sparticles might also be components of the elusive inflaton, which is thought to have driven space-time apart at the dawn of the universe.

If either theory turns out to be correct, it would constitute a first glimpse of the cosmic process of inflation. What's more, one of the new theories will soon be put to the test by collisions occurring at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN near Geneva, Switzerland.

Could it be possible at all that what is called the inflation particle is actually something that we call "LIFE?" They seem to have a couple of things in common. They both are still an undiscovered mystery. And how can an inanimate object speed up on its own? It would have to be acted upon by a greater force that would change the speed that it is traveling, unless it had, or was that force that we call life and the Universe was simply going through a growth spurt like any thing else that "grows" to get to its pre-set size. So maybe we are looking at the same thing in many different sizes and just have not as yet reconized that the Universe is the biggest size that we see, so far??