What is the Higgs boson?
The Higgs boson is a theorised sub-atomic particle that is believed to confer mass. It is conceived as existing in a treacly, invisible field that stretches across the Universe. Higgs bosons “stick” to fundamental particles of matter, dragging on them.
Some of these particles interact more with the Higgs than others and thus have greater mass. But particles of light, also called photons, are impervious to it and have no mass.
Why is it important?
The origin of mass (meaning the resistance of an object to being moved) has been fiercely debated for decades.
Finding the Higgs boson would vindicate the so-called Standard Model of physics, a theory that developed in the early 1970s, which says the universe is made from 12 particles which provide the building blocks for all matter.
These fundamental particles are divided into a bestiary comprising six leptons and six quarks, which have exotic names such as “strange,” “up”, “tau” and “charm.”
Above: British physicist, Peter Higgs, who conceived of a field of mass-confering particles while walking in Scotland’s Cairngorm Mountains in 1964.
Bosons are non-matter particles which are force carriers, or messengers that act between matter particles.
The interaction gives rise to three fundamental forces – the strong force, the weak force and the electromagnetic force. There is a fourth force, gravity, which is suspected to be caused by a still-to-be found boson named the graviton. Full article on this scientific breakthrough here. Of course, there are other recent splits that you might have found more interesting…
