Professor Peter Higgs

University of Edinburgh Statement on the death of Professor Peter Higgs

It has been confirmed that Professor Peter Higgs has died at the age of 94. He passed away peacefully at home on Monday 8 April following a short illness.

Peter is renowned the world over for his prediction of the existence of a new particle – the so-called Higgs boson – which he first proposed in 1964.

It would be almost 50 years before the particle’s existence could be confirmed, with experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at Cern finally confirming Higgs’ theory in 2012. He was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this work in 2013, along with Francois Englert.

Peter was also a great teacher and mentor, inspiring generations of young scientists.

“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.” – Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh