The Standard Model of particle physics requires that there be a Higgs boson because all of the cosmic DNA in the universe relies on something that gives particles mass. Without mass, none of us would be here right now—electrons would fly away from neutrons at light speed, and there would be no atoms to build anything from.
Unfortunately, neither Newton nor Einstein told us what gave particles this mass, and that's where the Higgs boson and the Higgs field come into play. They fill in this gap in our knowledge and are absolutely essential to modern physics, which is why confirming their existence in 2013 was such a huge achievement.
Now, the scientific community is seeking answers to other questions: What is the nature of dark matter? And what is the difference between matter and antimatter? Is it connected to the fact that matter dominates antimatter in our universe today?
In a newly released video, CERN physicist John Ellis, a believer in the need for a "new physics" that will allow us to reconcile quantum effects and what we already know about the universe, describes the trouble with empty space, the difficulty in calculating quantum effects, and which new discoveries appear to be just on the horizon for modern physicists.
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