The Science of Everything Podcast

Author: James Fodor

I discuss a variety of topics in both the natural and social sciences, exploring the many fascinating insights that the scientific method yields about the world around us.
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Language: en

Genres: Natural Sciences, Science, Social Sciences

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Episode 164: Gauge Theory and the Higgs Boson
Episode 167
Saturday, 29 August, 2026

We conclude our series on the standard model with an introduction to gauge theory. We discuss how the requirement of local gauge invariance generates interaction terms in the Lagrangian, and introduce the U(1) x SU(2) x SU(3) group structure of the standard model. We also consider the problem of massive W and Z bosons, and how this was resolved by the introduction of the Higgs field and the mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 163: The Standard Model of Particle Physics. If you enjoyed the podcast please consider supporting the show by making a PayPal donation or becoming a Patreon supporter. https://www.patreon.com/jamesfodor https://www.paypal.me/ScienceofEverything