The scientist behind the concept of the subatomic particle the Higgs boson, Professor Peter Higgs, has died aged 94.
Professor Higgs predicted of the existence of a new particle – the so-called Higgs boson – in 1964.
The particle’s existence would not be confirmed for almost half a century, with experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at Cern finally confirming his theory in 2012.
Prof Higgs, emeritus professor at Edinburgh University, was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this work in 2013, along with Francois Englert.
Edinburgh University said in a statement on Tuesday: “It has been confirmed that Professor Peter Higgs has passed away at the age of 94.
“He died on Monday April 8 peacefully at home following a short illness.
“His family has asked that the media and public respect their privacy at this time.”
The university’s principal, Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, 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.
“His pioneering work has motivated thousands of scientists, and his legacy will continue to inspire many more for generations to come.”
Very sorry to hear Peter Higgs has died. I was fortunate enough to meet him several times, and beyond being a famous physicist - I think to his embarrassment at times - he was always charming and modest. And of course his name will be remembered as long as we do physics in the…
Advertisement— Brian Cox (@ProfBrianCox) April 9, 2024
Particle physicist Brian Cox, a professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester, said Prof Higgs’ name “will be remembered as long as we do physics”.
“Very sorry to hear Peter Higgs has died,” the science programme presenter said posting on X.
“I was fortunate enough to meet him several times, and beyond being a famous physicist – I think to his embarrassment at times – he was always charming and modest.
“And of course his name will be remembered as long as we do physics in the form of the Higgs Boson. RIP Peter.”
