I think "Higgs particle" has already entered the technobabble lexicon

[Underseer]

Lately I've been watching the anime  Knights of Sidonia and I have to wince every time "Higgs particle" gets mentioned. Apparently, Higgs "particles"...

• provide an incredible energy source
• Can be formed into energy beams and used as devastating weapons
• Can be used as a propulsion system for space ships
• Can be formed into ultra-dense, ultra-strong objects that can be used as devastating weapons (melee weapons, naturally. You can't have a Japanese science fiction cartoon without giant robots wielding melee weapons)

It's like science fiction writers hear scientists using a new word and automatically translate the word to "fucking magic" in their heads. In a way, I'm glad there isn't a Star Trek television series in production right now, because I shudder to think how they would throw this new word around. I'm sure we would see a new class of starships with "Higgs generators" or "Higgs impulse grommets" or something. *sigh*

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

It's like science fiction writers hear scientists using a new word and automatically translate the word to "fucking magic" in their heads. In a way, I'm glad there isn't a Star Trek television series in production right now, because I shudder to think how they would throw this new word around. I'm sure we would see a new class of starships with "Higgs generators" or "Higgs impulse grommets" or something. *sigh*

The "Higgs boson" has been around for several decades and probably long enough to have been used in the original series.

Regardless in a new series, they would solve the problem of the day by rerouting the Higgs Particles through the plasma conduits (that never seem to have plasma in them!) and then focused onto the main deflector dish and shot out in to the problem of the day and PRESTO!!! Star Trek magic!

 

[Underseer]

Sure, Higgs and others proposed that field many decades ago, but the public only became aware of the term recently for obvious reasons.

I cringed a lot while watching Knights of Sidonia. It seems that every technology they use is either powered by Higgs bosons or made out of Higgs bosons. >.<

 

[Kharakov]

Did you see the Higg's grenades the Dark Elves used in Thor 2?

 

[Underseer]

Did you see the Higg's grenades the Dark Elves used in Thor 2?

I had managed to forget that. Thanks for re-opening those wounds and pouring salt in them.

 

[dendrast]

Higg's grenades?!! hahahahahaha!!!

(Where can I get some for my Borderlands characters?)

 

[Underseer]

I worry that "Higgs [fill in the blank]" is about to become the next "nano [fill in the blank]."

Does anyone else remember that word being used to explain away fantastical nonsense in science fiction? Yeesh.

Note: if you want to throw around the word Higgs, this is the way to do it:

His name is Axel Higgs. Rank: bosun. As in "bosun Higgs."

 

[bilby]

Higg's grenades?!! hahahahahaha!!!

(Where can I get some for my Borderlands characters?)

The Higgs field is what gives objects mass. So a Higgs Grenade is just a lump of something heavy.

"Hey, quit chucking rocks at me"
"They're not rocks, they're Higgs Grenades! Mom! Susan is calling my Higgs Grenades 'rocks' again!"
"Susan, play nice with your brother."

 

[thebeave]

It's like science fiction writers hear scientists using a new word and automatically translate the word to "fucking magic" in their heads. In a way, I'm glad there isn't a Star Trek television series in production right now, because I shudder to think how they would throw this new word around. I'm sure we would see a new class of starships with "Higgs generators" or "Higgs impulse grommets" or something. *sigh*

The "Higgs boson" has been around for several decades and probably long enough to have been used in the original series.

Regardless in a new series, they would solve the problem of the day by rerouting the Higgs Particles through the plasma conduits (that never seem to have plasma in them!) and then focused onto the main deflector dish and shot out in to the problem of the day and PRESTO!!! Star Trek magic!

That won't work unless you first reverse the polarity. Can't believe how many times that is overlooked!

 

[Underseer]

The "Higgs boson" has been around for several decades and probably long enough to have been used in the original series.

Regardless in a new series, they would solve the problem of the day by rerouting the Higgs Particles through the plasma conduits (that never seem to have plasma in them!) and then focused onto the main deflector dish and shot out in to the problem of the day and PRESTO!!! Star Trek magic!

That won't work unless you first reverse the polarity. Can't believe how many times that is overlooked!

Yeah, try reversing the polarity on your motherboard by using wires to cross some of the connections between the power supply and the motherboard. I expect you'll be treated to the smell of burning rubber in short order.

 

[thebeave]

We're talking about plasma conduits, deflector dishes and Higgs particles, not power supplies and motherboards. HUGE difference!

 

[bilby]

That won't work unless you first reverse the polarity. Can't believe how many times that is overlooked!

Yeah, try reversing the polarity on your motherboard by using wires to cross some of the connections between the power supply and the motherboard. I expect you'll be treated to the smell of burning rubber in short order.

Well, duh.

If you want it to actually work, you have to divert it through a flux-capacitor as well. Obviously.

 

[Rhea]

"Higgs impulse grommets"

Epic.

 

[Underseer]

We're talking about plasma conduits, deflector dishes and Higgs particles, not power supplies and motherboards. HUGE difference!

Would it be a better metaphor if I compared it to "reversing the polarity" on a sewer system?

 

[bilby]

We're talking about plasma conduits, deflector dishes and Higgs particles, not power supplies and motherboards. HUGE difference!

Would it be a better metaphor if I compared it to "reversing the polarity" on a sewer system?

Apparently, when Michael Faraday was doing his research into electromagnetism, he made some extra cash in winter by using a large lead acid battery attached to a set of leads, to un-freeze frozen water pipes. Of course this was quite effective, but most householders had never heard of electricity, and some thought the whole thing was a scam.

He was confronted one day by a man refusing to pay for the service, on the grounds that the pipes unfroze by themselves, and this 'fake' electricity was nothing to do with it.

Faraday, with a completely straight face, said "Well, if that's how you feel, I can reverse the polarity, and freeze them back up again".

The man paid.

 

[Underseer]

Would it be a better metaphor if I compared it to "reversing the polarity" on a sewer system?

Apparently, when Michael Faraday was doing his research into electromagnetism, he made some extra cash in winter by using a large lead acid battery attached to a set of leads, to un-freeze frozen water pipes. Of course this was quite effective, but most householders had never heard of electricity, and some thought the whole thing was a scam.

He was confronted one day by a man refusing to pay for the service, on the grounds that the pipes unfroze by themselves, and this 'fake' electricity was nothing to do with it.

Faraday, with a completely straight face, said "Well, if that's how you feel, I can reverse the polarity, and freeze them back up again".

The man paid.

Source? That story is awful and hilarious!

 

[bilby]

Apparently, when Michael Faraday was doing his research into electromagnetism, he made some extra cash in winter by using a large lead acid battery attached to a set of leads, to un-freeze frozen water pipes. Of course this was quite effective, but most householders had never heard of electricity, and some thought the whole thing was a scam.

He was confronted one day by a man refusing to pay for the service, on the grounds that the pipes unfroze by themselves, and this 'fake' electricity was nothing to do with it.

Faraday, with a completely straight face, said "Well, if that's how you feel, I can reverse the polarity, and freeze them back up again".

The man paid.

Source? That story is awful and hilarious!

Anecdote told to me by my A level physics teacher, circa 1986.

If it isn't true, it certainly should be.

 

[dendrast]

The "Higgs boson" has been around for several decades and probably long enough to have been used in the original series.

Regardless in a new series, they would solve the problem of the day by rerouting the Higgs Particles through the plasma conduits (that never seem to have plasma in them!) and then focused onto the main deflector dish and shot out in to the problem of the day and PRESTO!!! Star Trek magic!

That won't work unless you first reverse the polarity. Can't believe how many times that is overlooked!

Frodrick Franckensteen, "So if I change the the positive for the negative, and the negative for the positive.....yesss...it could work!!!"

 

[Underseer]

I notice that the Netflix version of Knights of Sidonia uses a bastardization of the Japanese attempt to say "Higgs" and thus it has become "Heigus particles" in the subtitles and the overdub. Whoever did the translation clearly had the same problem I did.

 

[dystopian]

Lately I've been watching the anime  Knights of Sidonia and I have to wince every time "Higgs particle" gets mentioned. Apparently, Higgs "particles"...

• provide an incredible energy source
• Can be formed into energy beams and used as devastating weapons
• Can be used as a propulsion system for space ships
• Can be formed into ultra-dense, ultra-strong objects that can be used as devastating weapons (melee weapons, naturally. You can't have a Japanese science fiction cartoon without giant robots wielding melee weapons)

It's like science fiction writers hear scientists using a new word and automatically translate the word to "fucking magic" in their heads. In a way, I'm glad there isn't a Star Trek television series in production right now, because I shudder to think how they would throw this new word around. I'm sure we would see a new class of starships with "Higgs generators" or "Higgs impulse grommets" or something. *sigh*

I recently started watching this anime, and I have to say it really doesn't seem to be as bad about the higgs stuff as you say. Keep in mind I've only seen half of it though.

• It makes sense that if you accept the central conceit that these particles provide an incredible energy source that they can then also be used as weapons; we can do this today with just about any form of sufficient energy. Obviously this does require that you accept the notion that they provide energy first, but extrapolating uses and technologies from a central idea is common in both sci-fi and reality: just think of how many applications we have for electricity today, far more than the anime has for higgs particles; someone at the dawn of our understanding of electricity would have no doubt found a story about our modern world's insane amount of uses for electricity absurd; Knights of Sidonia's uses for higgs particles is really conservative by comparison.
• I don't think it was ever actually established that they're used as a propulsion system; rather, it seems the fighter craft use them as an energy source while using more conventional drives.
• Those melee weapons aren't made from higgs particles afaik; which wouldn't even make sense within the show's canon as I've thus far understood it. There's another 'magic' material they found (left behind by an ancient alien race) that can't bond or interact with any other substance except the core of the aliens' bodies; and as I understand it the spears are made from the same material, which is why they're the only ones that can pierce and destroy that core, without which the aliens just regenerate. Other than that, they're just regular spears and not at all devastating.

I was actually quite surprised at how realistic the show is in the way it depicts some of the in-universe science; especially compared against other such space anime. They certainly don't appear to use higgs particles as some sort of magic the way other shows would; if they did, then you wouldn't have an entire episode devoted to two characters just starving while drifting aimlessly in space because filling up the ship's reactor up to even just 10-30% with higgs energy apparently takes at least two weeks. You'd also see the main city-ship using higgs particles as weapons, instead of conventional mass drivers. So at the very least they don't appear to use it as a deus-ex machina, which is all too common with science buzzwords in sci-fi.