Without doubt the biggest event in physics and maths this year was the discovery of the Higgs boson. Relive the excitement and understand what it's all about with these Plus articles.

Merry Christmas!

The Higgs boson: A massive discovery — If it looks like the Higgs... and it smells like the Higgs... have we finally found it? Most physicists agree it's safe to say we've finally observed the elusive Higgs boson. And perhaps that is not all....

Particle hunting at the LHC — Our favourite particle physicist, Ben Allanach, explains exactly what they are looking for at the LHC. Welcome to the world of quantum jelly....

Secret symmetry and the Higgs boson: Part I and Part II — The notorious Higgs boson, also termed the god particle, is said to have given other particles their mass. But how did it do that? In this two-part article we explore the so-called Higgs mechanism, starting with the humble bar magnet and ending with a dramatic transformation of the early Universe.

Countdown to the Higgs? — What does all this talk about sigma levels mean? It turns out that finding the Higgs is not so much a matter of catching the beast itself, but keeping a careful count of the evidence it leaves behind.

Hooray for Higgs! — The LHC gave particle physicists an early Christmas present last year – the first glimpses of the Higgs boson.