Co-winner of Nobel Prize in Physics Higgs highlights fundamental physics research

The co-winner of 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics Peter Higgs on Tuesday highlighted the importance of fundamental science and the blue-sky research after the Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics from the University of Edinburgh was awarded the Prize. "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." Higgs said in a statement released by the University of Edinburgh. The University of Edinburgh welcomed the award of a Nobel Prize in Physics to the 84-year-old Peter Higgs, who was recognized for his outstanding contribution to the theoretical work that led to the prediction of the Higgs boson particle. Timothy O'Shea, Principal of the University of Edinburgh, said: "We are delighted at the news of this Nobel Prize award and congratulate Professor Peter Higgs on his achievement. The discovery of the Higgs particle will underpin the next generation of physics research, and this accolade is worthy recognition of its significance. Professor Higgs' work will continue to inspire scientists at Edinburgh and beyond." The Princess Royal Anne, Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh who is currently visiting Edinburgh, and O'Shea were set to make an announcement of the Prize award news on Tuesday at the Edinburgh Center for Climate Change at High School Yards. The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded jointly to Higgs and Francois Englert for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to the understanding of the origin of mass subatomic particles and which recently was confirmed through the discovery of the predicted fundamental particle by the scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) recently confirmed the existence of the particle, which was first postulated in 1964 when Higgs was a young lecturer at Edinburgh.