Two scientists have won the Nobel prize in physics
for their work on the theory of the Higgs boson.
Peter Higgs, from the UK, and Francois Englert from
Belgium, shared the prize.
In the 1960s they were among several physicists who
proposed a mechanism to explain why the most basic
building blocks of the Universe have mass.
The mechanism predicts a particle - the Higgs boson -
which was finally discovered in 2012 at the Large
Hadron Collider at Cern, in Switzerland.
"This year's prize is about something small that makes
all the difference," said Staffan Normark, permanent
secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
'On holiday'
Professor Higgs is renowned for shying away from the
limelight, and he could not be located for interview in
the immediate aftermath of the announcement.
"He's gone on holiday without a phone to avoid the
media storm," his Edinburgh University physics
colleague Alan Walker told UK media, adding that
Higgs had also been unwell.
But the university released a prepared statement from
Higgs, who is emeritus professor of theoretical physics:
"I am overwhelmed to receive this award and thank the
Royal Swedish Academy.
"I would also like to congratulate all those who have
contributed to the discovery of this new particle and to
thank my family, friends and colleagues for their
support.
"I hope this recognition of fundamental science will
help raise awareness of the value of blue-sky research."
Francois Englert said he was "very happy" to win the
award, speaking at the ceremony via phone link.
"At first I thought I didn't have it [the prize] because I
didn't see the announcement," he told the committee,
after their news conference was delayed by more than
an hour.
The Nobel Prizes - which also cover chemistry,
medicine, literature, peace and economics - are valued
at 10m Swedish Krona. Laureates also receive a medal
and a diploma.
The official citation for Englert and Higgs read: "For the
theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes
to our understanding of the origin of mass of
subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed
through the discovery of the predicted fundamental
particle, by the Atlas and CMS experiments at Cern's
Large Hadron Collider".
Cern director general Rolf Heuer said he was "thrilled"
that this year's prize had gone to particle physics.
"The discovery of the Higgs boson at Cern last year,
which validates the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism,
marks the culmination of decades of intellectual effort
by many people around the world," he said.
Cern director general Rolf Heuer joined physicists
celebrating the announcement
for their work on the theory of the Higgs boson.
Peter Higgs, from the UK, and Francois Englert from
Belgium, shared the prize.
In the 1960s they were among several physicists who
proposed a mechanism to explain why the most basic
building blocks of the Universe have mass.
The mechanism predicts a particle - the Higgs boson -
which was finally discovered in 2012 at the Large
Hadron Collider at Cern, in Switzerland.
"This year's prize is about something small that makes
all the difference," said Staffan Normark, permanent
secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
'On holiday'
Professor Higgs is renowned for shying away from the
limelight, and he could not be located for interview in
the immediate aftermath of the announcement.
"He's gone on holiday without a phone to avoid the
media storm," his Edinburgh University physics
colleague Alan Walker told UK media, adding that
Higgs had also been unwell.
But the university released a prepared statement from
Higgs, who is emeritus professor of theoretical physics:
"I am overwhelmed to receive this award and thank the
Royal Swedish Academy.
"I would also like to congratulate all those who have
contributed to the discovery of this new particle and to
thank my family, friends and colleagues for their
support.
"I hope this recognition of fundamental science will
help raise awareness of the value of blue-sky research."
Francois Englert said he was "very happy" to win the
award, speaking at the ceremony via phone link.
"At first I thought I didn't have it [the prize] because I
didn't see the announcement," he told the committee,
after their news conference was delayed by more than
an hour.
The Nobel Prizes - which also cover chemistry,
medicine, literature, peace and economics - are valued
at 10m Swedish Krona. Laureates also receive a medal
and a diploma.
The official citation for Englert and Higgs read: "For the
theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes
to our understanding of the origin of mass of
subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed
through the discovery of the predicted fundamental
particle, by the Atlas and CMS experiments at Cern's
Large Hadron Collider".
Cern director general Rolf Heuer said he was "thrilled"
that this year's prize had gone to particle physics.
"The discovery of the Higgs boson at Cern last year,
which validates the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism,
marks the culmination of decades of intellectual effort
by many people around the world," he said.
Cern director general Rolf Heuer joined physicists
celebrating the announcement
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