The scientific community laments the loss of Professor Peter Higgs, a well-known theoretical physicist who, at the age of 94, departed quietly at home on April 8, 2024. The most famous prediction made by Higgs was that of the Higgs boson, a subatomic particle that is essential to understanding how other fundamental particles gain mass. This theoretical idea, first put forth in 1964, acquired widespread recognition as the “God particle” and was confirmed by the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in 2012.
The Standard Model, which describes the fundamental elements of matter and their interactions, is the accepted theory of particle physics; however, Higgs’ discovery closed a significant gap in this theory. Though it lacked a mechanism to explain how these interactions gave particles mass, the Standard Model predicted that particles interacted with a field, subsequently termed the Higgs field. The Higgs boson, a new particle postulated by Higgs’ theory, would be in charge of these interactions and, by extension, the mass of other particles.
Higgs’ theory received acceptance in the scientific community despite some initial criticism. Global science began searching for the elusive Higgs boson, and in 2012, CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) made a historic statement. A significant accomplishment, the finding of the Higgs boson confirmed the Higgs field’s existence and offered compelling evidence for the Standard Model.
For Higgs, the CERN announcement represented the fruition of nearly fifty years of theoretical preparation. This discovery was made possible by his 1964 studies, which were published in the journal Physics Letters. François Englert was one of the people who independently discovered comparable theories around the same time as Higgs, but Higgs’ name became synonymous with the particle that was predicted. Higgs and Englert shared the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics as a result of their recognition.
The field of theoretical physics is not the only one to benefit from Higgs’ contributions. The discovery of the Higgs boson has expanded our knowledge of the underlying components of the cosmos and the forces that control them. Thanks to it, particle physicists may now delve deeper into the properties of the Higgs boson and explore its possible relationship to enigmas such as dark matter and dark energy.
Professor Higgs’s life and contributions to science are examples of the strength of human curiosity and the unwavering quest for knowledge. Future generations of scientists will be motivated by his legacy to explore the mysteries of the cosmos. “Peter Higgs was a remarkable individual – a truly gifted scientist whose vision and imagination have enriched our knowledge of the world that surrounds us,” said Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, where Higgs held an emeritus professorship.
