The renowned physicist and Nobel Laureate, Peter Higgs, celebrated for his groundbreaking proposal of the Higgs boson particle, has passed away. Higgs, who was 94, passed away peacefully in his home in Edinburgh.
In recognition of his seminal 1964 study that demonstrated how the boson particle played a pivotal role in maintaining the constitution of the universe by bestowing particles with their mass, he received the Nobel Prize for physics in 2013. His theory was conclusively evidenced in a range of experiments conduced from 2008 at the Large Hadron Collider at Cern based in Switzerland. The Nobel Prize was awarded jointly with François Englert, a Belgian theoretician who also significantly contributed to the breakthrough discovery in 1964.
Higgs devoted the major part of his career at the University of Edinburgh which honoured him by establishing the Higgs centre for theoretical physics in 2012. As a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Companion of Honour, Higgs’ influence and legacy is immense.
In a tribute to Higgs’ work, Prof Peter Mathieson, principal of the university, said: “Peter Higgs was a remarkable individual – a truly gifted scientist whose vision and imagination have enriched our knowledge of the world that surrounds us.”
Prof Fabiola Gianotti, Director General of Cern and previous head of the Atlas experiment leading to the discovery of Higgs particle, paid her respects: “Besides his significant contributions to particle physics, Peter was an exceptional individual, a humble man, an outstanding teacher and someone capable of explaining complex physics in a simple yet profound manner.”
The night before the unveiling of the particle, John Ellis, Cern’s ex-chief of theoretical physics invited Higgs to a intimate celebration at his home, later reflecting, “Without Peter’s theory, atoms could not exist and radioactivity would hold the same power as electricity and magnetism.” He concluded, “His prediction of the particle named after him was a revelation, and its discovery at Cern in 2012 was a eureka moment that validated his comprehension of the universe’s workings.”
Atlas collaboration member, Jon Butterworth, recognised Higgs as a greatly admired figure in the realm of particle physics. Higgs, he claimed, despite his discomfort, felt obligated to utilise the recognition his accomplishments brought to promote scientific growth, an obligation he fulfilled repeatedly. The Higgs particle, named after him, serves as perhaps the most striking example of how apparently abstract mathematical theories can yield predictions with significant physical implications.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the institution that confers the Nobel Prize, stated previously that the standard model of physics forming the basis of our scientific comprehension of the universe is fundamentally reliant on the existence of a unique particle: the Higgs particle. This particle is born out of an unseen field occupying the entirety of space.
The academy explains that even in the seeming vacuum of the universe, this field persists. Without it, we would not exist, as it is through interaction with this field that particles obtain mass. This procedure was delineated via the theory proposed by Englert and Higgs.
Higgs, a remarkably reserved individual who had reservations about the commotion, had departed his residence for a peaceful noontime meal of soup and trout in Leith, on the day the news was announced. On his return journey, he was intercepted by a previous neighbour who informed him of his accomplishment.
Higgs, born in Newcastle upon Tyne, survived by his two sons, Chris and Jonny, his daughter-in-law Suzanne and two grandchildren. Jody, his estranged wife who worked as a linguistics lecturer, passed away in 2008. – Guardian.