Physicists find evidence of new subatomic particle

This undated image made available by CERN shows a typical candidate event including two high-energy photons whose energy (depicted by red towers) is measured in the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter. The yellow lines are the measured tracks of other particles produced in the collision. The pale blue volume shows the CMS crystal calorimeter barrel. To cheers and standing ovations, scientists at the world's biggest atom smasher claimed the discovery of a new subatomic particle Wednesday July 4, 2012, calling it "consistent" with the long-sought Higgs boson — popularly known as the "God particle" — that helps explain what gives all matter in the universe size and shape. (AP Photo/CERN)

Photo by Associated Press /Chattanooga Times Free Press.

GENEVA (AP) — The head of the world's biggest atom smasher says they have discovered a new particle that is consistent with the long-sought Higgs boson known popularly as the "God particle," which is believed to give all matter in the universe size and shape

Rolf Heuer, director of the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, says "we have a discovery" of a new subatomic particle, a boson, that is "consistent with a Higgs boson."

Higgs boson's existence was predicted decades ago to help explain how the universe works.

He spoke after two independent teams at CERN said they have both "observed" a new particle.

But the teams stopped just shy of claiming outright discovery of the Higgs boson itself that is key to our understanding of why matter has mass, which combines with gravity to give an object weight.