FIGURE 1. Picturing the Higgs field.

The behaviour of physicists in a crowded social event at a conference is an analogy for the Higgs mechanism, as proposed by David Miller (University College London). The physicists represent a non-trivial medium permeating space. In the upper panel, the physicists cluster around a famous scientist who enters the room, slowing the scientist's progress. In much the same way, a particle passing through the Higgs–Brout–Englert field slows down and acquires a mass. In the lower panel, a rumour propagates. This is an excitation of the medium — the group of physicists — itself, forming a body with a large mass; this is analogous to the formation of a Higgs boson. Figure reproduced with permission from CERN.