-- that is done by the Higgs *Field* -- and the Higgs Boson, like most other kinds of particles in this outlook on the theory, is just an offshoot in the quantum field, a little like a standing wave. 6/6

Gosh how limiting the post length is!

point. This is, that the detection of the Higgs Boson at the LHC was very important inasmuch as it provided actual observational verification of the theory. But the particle is very short-lived and is not really what does the job of giving other particles (and raw spacetime) their mass 5/x

Strassler makes the same point, but also another one, that I was happy to note I expected him to bring up -- because his book, and things he said on Sean Carroll's podcast, made it clear his approach is to take Quantum *Field* Theory as fundamental -- another 4/x

pointed out that the term was a journalism creation and that Higgs, along with almost all physicists, disliked it. First off because Higgs, "like almost all the rest of us [physical scientists]" was an atheist. 3/x

On Sunday's "Weekend Edition" a different physicist talked with the host about Peter Higgs, and was very good about rejecting the "god particle" nonsense the host was repeating. The physicist (who knew Higgs personally)2/x