[Obituary] Peter Higgs, proponent of the Higgs particle, passes away

Peter Higgs , the physicist who proposed the existence of the elementary particle known as the Higgs boson , has died at the age of 94.

Statement on the death of Professor Peter Higgs | The University of Edinburgh
https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2024/statement-on-the-death-of-professor-peter-higgs

Peter Higgs, physicist who proposed Higgs boson, dies aged 94 | Peter Higgs | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/apr/09/peter-higgs-physicist-who-discovered-higgs-boson-dies-aged-94

Peter Higgs, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics for predicting the existence of the Higgs particle, dies at age 94 | NHK | UK
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20240410/k10014417521000.html

The existence of the Higgs boson has been proposed as one of the 'elementary particles,' the smallest units that make up matter. The Higgs boson is said to be the elementary particle that gives mass to all things, and is now known to be useful in understanding the origin of 'mass.' However, the Higgs boson is invisible, and no one had even considered the possibility that the Higgs boson might exist.

However, in 1964, Higgs proposed a theory called the 'Higgs mechanism,' which raised the idea that something that gives particles mass might actually exist. The Higgs particle continued to be discussed only in theory, but experiments using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) , which was created to carry out high-energy physics experiments, confirmed the existence of something that fits the theory of the Higgs particle. For his contribution to proposing the Higgs particle, Higgs was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013 along with physicist François Englert .

Higgs was born in England on May 29, 1929, and graduated with honors in physics from King's College London in 1950. He was awarded a master's degree a year later and devoted himself to research under the supervision of Christopher Longuet Higgins and others. In 1954, Higgs was awarded his doctorate for a thesis entitled 'Some Problems in the Theory of Molecular Vibrations'. In the same year, Higgs transferred to the University of Edinburgh. He moved to several universities after that, but spent the majority of his life as a physicist at the University of Edinburgh.

The University of Edinburgh announced Higgs' death on April 9, 2024 local time. According to the university, Higgs passed away peacefully at home on April 8 after a short illness.

Upon hearing of his passing, Peter Mathieson, Principal of the University of Edinburgh, paid tribute to him, saying: 'Peter Higgs was an extraordinary individual and a truly gifted scientist. His vision and imagination enriched our knowledge of the world around us. His pioneering research inspired thousands of scientists and his legacy will continue to inspire many for generations to come.'