Let’s get physical

Let’s get physical

This calls for a new slide rule: Sought after since the 1960s, scientists at the world’s largest atom smasher in Switzerland celebrated the discovery of the Higgs boson, also called the “God particle,” which could help unlock the mysteries of physics. The $10 billion Large Hadron Collider created the particle that lasted only a fraction of a second.

Not to second-guess the scientists, but $10 billion is a lot of money; $25 at Boom City would have bought a display that lasted a few seconds longer.

Hold the onions: Joey Chestnut, a 28-year-old from San Jose, Calif., won Coney Island’s Fourth of July hot-dog-eating contest by forcing down 68 red hots in 10 minutes, winning $10,000 and a mustard yellow belt.

As Chestnut stepped up to receive his prize money and belt, he collided with a fellow competitor and the two men exploded, showering the Coney Island crowd with Oscar Mayer bosons, also known as “dog particles.”

Don’t know much about history: On this day in 1687, Isaac Newton published his three-volume work, “Principia Mathematica,” which outlined his mathematical principles of natural philosophy and physics, including the law of gravity.

Yes, the discovery resulted in a knot on his head from the apple that fell, but at least it didn’t cost him $10 billion.

—Jon Bauer, Herald staff