Much as we would like to have a date for finding the Higgs boson, that is not possible. All we can do is accumulate data, and then pore over the data in search of what may be there. The more data we have, the greater the chances of finding new physics that is there.

Unfortunately, the technique and the amount of data needed depend on the mass of the higgs boson, and we don't know this mass (until we discover it). It might take three years to find the higgs, if we are not lucky.

Before that happens we hope to make other discoveries. These might (if we are fortunate) include finding the nature of dark matter, discovering a new fundamental force, finding evidence for extra dimensions or microscopic-black-holes, learning more about antimatter, string theory, etc.

The experiment itself will start approximately July 2008, but that depends on the schedule for completion of the Large Hadron Collider, which may change slightly. This is a very large and complex project, so it is not easy to make a schedule that is more precise.

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