Thread by @InertialObservr

How was the Higgs Boson discovered? (1/n)

👉The main process which led to its discovery is its decay into 2 photons: ℎ → γ + γ
👉This process is occurs at "loop level" mediated by the top and bottom quarks 𝑡 & 𝑏
👉The higgs lifetime is 1.56×10⁻²² s

Step (1): Smash Protons

👉The LHC smashes together protons
👉When two protons collide, it produces a "shower" of its constituent quarks 𝑞 and gluons 𝐺
👉The 𝐺 can then decay into pairs of t̅t (top, anti top)

Step (2): Higgs Production

👉These t̅t coming from the Gluon decay, can then interact with one another
👉These t̅t can then "annihilate" to produce a higgs particle, via the process shown below.

Step (3): Higgs Decay to photons

👉Lastly, now that the higgs is produced it lives out its short life of 1.56×10⁻²² s
👉At which point it is destroyed by the very process which created it--the t̅t channel
👉Gone but not forgotten, the higgs waves to us in the form of 2 photons

Putting it all together, we get the leading order Feynman diagram that led to the discovery of the Higgs Boson. 👀

If any of you found these Feynman diagrams useful, and want to use them in a talk or something, you're more than welcome to.

Just maybe remember to tell them to follow @InertialObservr ;)