Peter Higgs, physicist who proposed Higgs boson, dies aged 94

Peter Higgs, a physicist who was awarded the Nobel prize for his discovery of the Higgs boson, passed away.

Higgs, who was 94 years old, passed away at his residence in Edinburgh on Monday. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013 for his groundbreaking research in 1964 on the role of bosons in the universe. His discoveries helped explain how particles acquire mass and how they are held together.

Following an array of trials that commenced in 2008, a group of physicists at Switzerland's Cern, operating at the Large Hadron Collider, attested to the veracity of his hypothesis in 2012. For this achievement, he was bestowed the Nobel prize, which he shared with François Englert, a theoretical physicist from Belgium. Englert's investigations in 1964 also had a direct involvement in the revelation.

Higgs, who was part of the Royal Society and was also a Companion of Honour, spent most of his career at Edinburgh University. In 2012, the university established the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics as a tribute to him.

The leader of the university, Prof Peter Mathieson, expressed that Peter Higgs was an extraordinary person with outstanding skills in the field of science. He had a unique way of thinking and exploring the world, which has expanded our understanding of it.

His groundbreaking research has inspired a multitude of scientists, and his impact will continue to influence numerous generations in the future.

Professor Fabiola Gianotti, who is in charge of CERN and also led the Atlas experiment that helped find the Higgs particle back in 2012, spoke highly of Peter Higgs. She said that besides all his groundbreaking work in particle physics, he was also a remarkable person who was very humble, an excellent educator, and had a unique way of explaining physics in a straightforward and meaningful manner.

He is linked to a significant part of Cern's history and achievements. I feel extremely heartbroken, and his absence will be deeply felt.

Peter was invited to a little party at John Ellis' house the night before the particle discovery was announced. John Ellis used to be the head of theory at Cern, which is a famous physics research center. According to Ellis, a very important physicist had passed away. This physicist was instrumental in developing a theory that allowed atoms to exist and stopped radioactivity from being as powerful as electricity or magnetism.

"He had a profound understanding and intuition when he predicted the existence of the particle named after him. Seeing it discovered at Cern in 2012 validated his comprehension of the mechanics of the Universe."

According to Jon Butterworth, who is part of the Atlas collaboration, Higgs is regarded as a brave and admirable figure in the field of particle physics.

Although he didn't find it particularly enjoyable, he believed it was his duty to utilize the attention he received from his accomplishments to benefit the field of science, which he did on numerous occasions. The particle that is named after him serves as an extraordinary illustration of how seemingly theoretical mathematical concepts can make forecasts that have enormous real-world implications.

According to the organization responsible for presenting the Nobel Prize, the foundational comprehension of the cosmos in the field of physics depends on the presence of a specific particle- the Higgs particle. The particle is derived from an unobservable field that is present throughout the entirety of space.

Although the universe might appear to lack substance, this particular area is always present. It is essential to our existence since particles gain mass from interacting with this field. The mechanism behind this phenomenon is elucidated in the theory developed by Higgs and Englert.

A very timid man who didn't like attention, Higgs decided to have a peaceful meal of soup and fish in Leith when the announcement was made. However, he was stopped on his way home by someone he used to live near who informed him of the news.

Higgs was born in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, and he is survived by two sons, Chris and Jonny, along with his daughter-in-law Suzanne, and two grandchildren. Sadly, his wife Jody was a linguistics teacher, and they were separated before she passed away in 2008.