Standard Model Higgs boson discovery

The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 confirmed a key part of the Standard Model of physics. The Higgs boson is associated with the Higgs field, a fundamental field that gives mass to elementary particles like W and Z bosons, and indirectly to others like quarks and electrons. Using the Large Hadron Collider, scientists smashed protons together at high energies, producing rare Higgs particles that quickly decayed into detectable signals. Observing these signals consistent with theoretical predictions provided strong evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson, completing our understanding of how particles acquire mass.