Peter Higgs
Peter Higgs
================
Full Name and Common Aliases
-----------------------------
Peter Ware Higgs is a British theoretical physicist whose work on the origin of mass in subatomic particles led to the discovery of the Higgs boson.
Birth and Death Dates
-------------------------
Born: May 29, 1929
Still living as of publication
Nationality and Profession(s)
--------------------------------
British
Theoretical Physicist
Early Life and Background
-----------------------------
Peter Higgs was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, to a family of modest means. His father was an engineer, and his mother was a nurse. Higgs' interest in science began early; he attended the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle before enrolling at King's College London.
At university, Higgs studied physics under the guidance of renowned physicist Brian Pippard. This exposure laid the foundation for his future work on particle physics. In 1954, Higgs completed his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from King's College London.
Major Accomplishments
---------------------------
Higgs' groundbreaking research focused on the origin of mass in subatomic particles. He proposed that a new field, later known as the Higgs field, was responsible for imparting mass to fundamental particles like electrons and quarks. This idea revolutionized our understanding of particle physics and laid the foundation for the Standard Model of particle physics.
In 1964, Higgs published his seminal paper, "Broken Symmetries and the Masses of Gauge Bosons," in which he introduced the concept of spontaneous symmetry breaking. This work predicted the existence of a new boson that would later bear his name – the Higgs boson.
Notable Works or Actions
-----------------------------
Higgs' most notable contribution to science is, undoubtedly, his proposal of the Higgs field and its associated particle, the Higgs boson. However, he has also made significant contributions to other areas of physics, including:
Quantum Field Theory: Higgs developed a comprehensive understanding of quantum field theory, which describes how fundamental particles interact with each other.
Gauge Theories: He worked extensively on gauge theories, which describe the behavior of subatomic particles and forces.
Impact and Legacy
------------------------
Peter Higgs' work has had far-reaching implications for our understanding of particle physics. His prediction of the Higgs boson's existence led to a decades-long search by scientists at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). On July 4, 2012, physicists finally detected the Higgs boson using the Large Hadron Collider.
Higgs' discovery has opened new avenues for research into particle physics and the Standard Model. It has also raised fundamental questions about the nature of mass and the universe's fundamental forces.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
--------------------------------------------
Peter Higgs is widely quoted and remembered for his groundbreaking work on the origin of mass in subatomic particles. His prediction of the Higgs boson's existence revolutionized particle physics, earning him a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013 (shared with François Englert).
Quotes by Peter Higgs
As a theoretician, I am proud to be part of a counter revolution... discovering that quantum field theory language was not dead and finished but had not really been explored thoroughly enough.
My first visit to the Large Hadron Collider was in April 2008, before it started up, and CERN had some open days. They were slightly shocked by the end of it because I think they got something like 50,000 visitors.
What kind of pupil was I? Well, I was a swot, but I was allowed to be without any ill effects by my contemporaries because I was excused from games due to my asthma. So being a swot was something to compensate for not being to play football.
The growth of our understanding of the world through science weakens some of the motivation which makes people believers. But that's not the same thing as saying they're incompatible. It's just that I think some of the traditional reasons for belief, going back thousands of years, are rather undermined.
I was easygoing in terms of being adaptable in my social life. But maybe I suffered a personality change in the mid-'60s and became more dedicated to things involving work because it had become successful in some way.
That name was a kind of joke, and not a very good one. An author, Leon Lederman, wanted to call it ‘that goddamn particle’ because it was clear it was going to be a tough job finding it experimentally. His editor wouldn’t have that, and he said, ‘okay, call it the God particle,’ and the editor accepted it. I don’t think he should’ve have done, because it’s so misleading’.
I was an embarrassment to the department when they did research assessment exercises. A message would go round the department: ‘Please give a list of your recent publications.’ And I would send back a statement: ‘None.’
My recollection of the higher school certificate, which involved a practical exam in physics, was being confronted with an experiment involving a sort of barometer arrangement, wondering why I couldn’t make it work.