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Renowned British theoretical physicist Peter Higgs, the figure behind the groundbreaking discovery of the Higgs boson, passed away on 8th April at the age of 94. Higgs’ profound contribution in the field of particle physics has propelled him as an indispensable asset in modern science, leaving an invaluable legacy.
The scientific luminary was celebrated for proposing the existence of the eponymous Higgs boson in 1964. This theoretical particle’s historic reveal at CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research) almost half a century later in 2012 marked a milestone in understanding the fundamental aspects of our universe. The Higgs boson underpins the Standard Model of particle physics, an intricate theory that explains the universe’s mechanics on the most granular level.
Collaborating with fellow physicists Robert Brout and François Englert, Higgs devised the Brout-Englert-Higgs (BEH) field’s theory. This unique field remains perpetually active throughout the universe, unlike other fundamental fields, allowing matter to form approximately 10-11 seconds post-Big Bang.
Higgs and Englert were honored with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013 for their epoch-making contribution. In the wake of Higgs’s demise, CERN’s Director-General Fabiola Gianotti conveyed, “Besides his outstanding contributions to particle physics, Peter was a very special person, an immensely inspiring figure for physicists around the world.”
Professor Higgs’s revolutionary work extends beyond the observable universe. The uncovered secrets of the Higgs boson are expected to answer substantial questions in physics, offering a glimpse of a sphere beyond the Standard Model.
Peter Higgs, born 1929, was not just a particle physicist but also an academic luminary who paved his career at the University of Edinburgh. He will also be remembered for his fervor in branching into political activism, like his time with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and later, his association with Greenpeace.
As someone who was critical of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, Higgs declined to attend the Wolf Prize in Physics award ceremony in Jerusalem in 2004, illustrating his dedication to sociopolitical causes. As an atheist, Higgs publicly criticized the term “God particle” for the Higgs boson, worrying that it confuses science and theology. He passed away following a brief illness at his home in Edinburgh.
Information Box:
Name: Peter Ware Higgs
Born: 29 May 1929
Died: 8 April 2024
Profession: Theoretical physicist, Nobel Laureate
Noted for: Proposing the existence of Higgs boson
Known for: Activism in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Awards: Nobel Prize in Physics (2013), Wolf Prize in Physics (2004)
References:
1: “CERN Tribute to Peter Higgs.” CERN