Explore the groundbreaking discovery of the Higgs boson in this 31-minute video lecture by renowned physicist Sean Carroll. Delve into the world of particle physics, starting with the media sensation surrounding the July 4, 2012 announcement. Trace the history of particle physics from Democritus to modern elementary particles. Understand the crucial distinction between particles and fields, and learn about the two vital roles of the Higgs field. Examine the Standard Model of Particle Physics and how it addresses gauge symmetries. Discover the connection between Einstein's famous equation and particle accelerators, leading to the development of the Large Hadron Collider. Learn about the Nobel Prize-winning work of Peter Higgs and Francois Englert, and gain insight into why scientists dedicate their careers to particle physics research.