Higgs : The invention and discovery of the 'God Particle'

The hunt for the Higgs particle involved the biggest, most expensive experiment ever. Finally, on 4 July 2012, CERN made the momentous announcement that a Higgs-like particle had been discovered. Here, Jim Baggott explains the science behind the discovery, how the theory was developed, and its implications for the future.

The hunt for the Higgs particle has involved the biggest, most expensive experiment ever. So exactly what is this particle? Why does it matter so much? What does it tell us about the Universe? Did the discovery announced on 4 July 2012 finish the search? And was finding it really worth all the effort?The short answer is yes. The Higgs field is proposed as the way in which particles gain mass - a fundamental property of matter. It''s the strongest indicator yet that the Standard Model of physics really does reflect the basic building blocks of our Universe. Little wonder the hunt and discovery of this new particle produced such intense media interest.Here, Jim Baggott explains the science behind the discovery, looking at how the concept of a Higgs field was invented, how the vast experiment was carried out, and its implications on our understanding of all mass in the Universe.