PIONEERING SCIENTIST

A SCIENTIST who achieved worldwide fame with the discovery of the so-called God Particle has died at the age of 94.

A statement from Edinburgh University, with which the scientist had a strong connection throughout his career, said that Professor Peter Higgs died “peacefully” at his home following a short illness.

The physicist, who had lived in the Scottish capital for more than 50 years, won the highly prestigious Nobel Prize in 2013 after he predicted the existence of an elusive fundamental particle – which would become known as the Higgs boson.

In 1964, he was one of the scientists who first proposed the existence of the sub-atomic particle that gives substance or mass to planets, stars, and life.

Paying tribute, Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, 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.”

Fellow physicist Professor Brian Cox posted on social media: “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. His name will be remembered as long as we do physics in the form of the Higgs boson.”

Alan Barr, professor of physics at the University of Oxford, said: “From the mind of Professor Higgs came ideas which have had a profound impact on our understanding of the universe, of matter, and mass.”

He added: “He was also a true gentleman, humble and polite, always giving due credit to others, and gently encouraging future generations of scientists and scholars.”

Sir Ian Blatchford, chief executive of the Science Museum Group, said Professor Higgs was a “brilliant scientist who helped us to understand the fundamental building blocks of our universe”.

Born in Newcastle in 1929, Professor Higgs was the son of a BBC sound engineer.

His family later moved to Bristol where he attended Cotham Grammar School before going on to read theoretical physics at King’s College London. A five-decade-long career began when he graduated with a first-class honours degree in 1950.

Professor Higgs held research fellowships in Edinburgh and London before becoming a lecturer in mathematical physics at the University of Edinburgh in 1960. He wrote his ground-breaking paper after developing the theory while walking in the hills around the city.

In 1980, he became a professor of theoretical physics in Edinburgh, a post he held for 16 years before retiring and assuming the title of emeritus professor.

Outside academia, Professor Higgs married an American linguist, Jody Williamson. The couple had two sons, Christopher and Jonathan, before their divorce in the early 1970s.

The existence of the Higgs boson was proven in 2012 with use of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) by a team from the European nuclear research facility in Geneva. Professor Peter Higgs was awarded the Nobel Prize along with Belgian Francois Englert for their work on the theory of the particle. At the time he said: “It’s very nice to be right sometimes.”

Despite the accolades he received – including more than ten honorary degrees – he said he felt uncomfortable being likened to other Nobel winners such as Albert Einstein.

Professor Higgs turned down the offer of a knighthood from Tony Blair in November 1999 as he did not want any title.

He lived in a small flat in Edinburgh, had no television, and used public transport. In later years, he told of his unease with the attention his achievement garnered, saying he was often bombarded by requests for selfies and could not walk the streets of Edinburgh without being stopped by fans.

The world is indebted to Professor Peter Higgs. May he rest in peace.