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| Here, the Edinburgh-based physicist stands in front of a portrait by artist Ken Currie |
Physicist Peter Higgs, after whom the Higgs boson particle is named, has been recognised in the New Year Honours.
In the 1960s, Prof Higgs and other physicists proposed a mechanism to explain why the most basic building blocks of the Universe have mass.
The mechanism predicts the existence of a Higgs particle, the discovery of which was claimed this year at the Large Hadron Collider.
Prof Higgs has been made a Companion of Honour.
The recognition confers no title but is restricted to a select group of 65 for achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry, or religion.
His discovery announced in July this year of a particle consistent with the Higgs boson immediately led to calls for the 83-year-old to be knighted.
He is now also considered to be a candidate for a Nobel prize, perhaps in conjunction with other physicists who reached similar conclusions at the same time.
BBC News: Peter Higgs: honour for physicist who proposed particle
By Paul Rincon
Science editor, BBC News website
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