Physicists from the University of Birmingham will be showcasing some of their ground-breaking work through a series of interactive displays at the Royal Society’s annual Summer Science Exhibition which opens to the public officially tomorrow (2 July 2013).

The exhibit, entitled ‘Understanding the Higgs boson’, offers visitors the chance to discover and explore the physics and technology behind the discovery of the Higgs boson, whose interaction with particles gives them their mass.

In July 2012, the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider announced the discovery of a new particle, consistent with a higgs boson. The discovery was front-page news around the world, and became a top trend on Twitter.

Visitors to the Royal Society show will get the chance to discover more about the research through a series of hands-on displays, including a hand-operated accelerator. The scientists will be on hand at the exhibition which runs from 2 July to 7 July, to talk visitors through their research.

The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition is a premier annual showcase for scientific excellence in the UK, and this year just 20 interactive exhibitors have been selected to display their work.

Dr Cristina Lazzeroni from the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Birmingham said: “The search for a higgs boson is science on an epic scale. The resulting theoretical and experimental advances are the subject of ‘Understanding the Higgs boson’ Exhibit”.

-ENDS-
For further information contact:

Kate Chapple, Press Office, University of Birmingham, tel 0121 414 2772 or 077890 921164, email: k.h.chapple@bham.ac.uk
or
Nicola Kane
Senior Press Officer
The Royal Society, London
Tel: 020 7451 2508
Email: nicola.kane@royalsociety.org

Notes for editors:
1. Please contact the Royal Society press office to register your interest in attending the press the press preview on 1 July.

2. Images available on request.

3. General info: The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition showcases cutting edge research in science and engineering from across the UK. It is held annually at the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science. Follow the Summer Science Exhibition on Twitter at www.twitter.com/summerscience using the hashtag #SSE2013 and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/summerscience

4. Exhibition opening times: The Exhibition is located in the Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5 AG and takes place from Tuesday 2 July to Sunday 7 July 2013. Open Tue 2 July 10am - 9pm, Wed 3 July, 10am - 5pm, Thu 4 July 10am - 5pm, Fri 5 July 10am - 9pm, Sat 6 July 10am - 9pm, Sun 7 July 10am - 6pm. Note: Last entry is 30 minutes before closing time. The event is FREE and open to the public. Further information can be found at: http://sse.royalsociety.org/2013/

5. The Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists drawn from all areas of science, engineering, and medicine. The Society’s fundamental purpose, as it has been since its foundation in 1660, is to recognise, promote, and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity.

The Society’s strategic priorities emphasise its commitment to the highest quality science, to curiosity-driven research, and to the development and use of science for the benefit of society. These priorities are:

1. Promoting science and its benefits
2. Recognising excellence in science
3. Supporting outstanding science
4. Providing scientific advice for policy
5. Fostering international and global cooperation
6. Education and public engagement

For further information on the Royal Society please visit royalsociety.org. Follow the Royal Society on Twitter at http://twitter.com/royalsociety or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/theroyalsociety .