The “truly gifted scientist” behind the concept of the subatomic particle the Higgs boson, Professor Peter Higgs, has died aged 94.

Professor Higgs predicted of the existence of a new particle – the so-called Higgs boson – in 1964.

The particle’s existence would not be confirmed for almost half a century, with experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at Cern finally confirming his theory in 2012.

Prof Higgs, emeritus professor at Edinburgh University, was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this work in 2013, along with Francois Englert.

Edinburgh University said in a statement on Tuesday: “It has been confirmed that Professor Peter Higgs has passed away at the age of 94.

“He died on Monday April 8 peacefully at home following a short illness.

“His family has asked that the media and public respect their privacy at this time.”

The university’s principal, Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, said: “Peter Higgs was a remarkable individual – a truly gifted scientist whose vision and imagination have enriched our knowledge of the world that surrounds us.

“His pioneering work has motivated thousands of scientists, and his legacy will continue to inspire many more for generations to come.”