When CERN scientists in Geneva announced the probable discovery of the long-sought Higgs boson Tuesday, two University of Washington scientists who helped in the effort were watching in a Queen Anne bar.

Anna Goussiou and Gordon Watts are two of four physicists at UW who aided in the research, along with 10 graduate students and postdoctorate fellows, The Seattle Times reported Thursday.

Scientists “discovered” the Higgs boson* by smashing protons together in the Large Hadron Collider, examining the bits that were flung off of those collisions and reconstructing their paths.

From the Times:

When the Higgs-like particle decays after its short life span, it can leave behind different types of particles. Goussiou hunted for signs of the new particle decaying into tiny particles called taus, while Watts looked for signs of it decaying into a type of theoretical particle called "hidden valley pions" — so named because they can travel for several meters before becoming visible.

*Some scientists have compared the evidence of the Higgs boson to finding a fossilized dinosaur footprint without finding direct evidence -- a leg bone, etc. -- of the actual dinosaur.

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