In quest of the

Share

Higgs predicted the existence of the boson while working at the University of Edinburgh to explain how atoms — and the objects they make up — have weight. Without the particle, the basic physics theory — the standard model — lacks a crucial element, because it fails to explain how other subatomic particles — such as quarks and electrons — have mass. The Higgs theory is that the bosons create a field through which the other particles pass. The particles that encounter difficulty going through the field as though they are passing through molasses pick up more inertia, and mass. Those that pass through more easily are lighter.

Image: The Standard Model