Take the tour ×  My understanding is, within quantum mechanics,
in a pure vacuum, all known fields have a lowest energy state of
zero. The Higgs field is the only exception -- it's lowest
energy state is not zero. Hence, the uniform field permeating
all of space, through which other particles couple with and thus
are endowed mass.  My question is whether this "non-zero lowest
energy state" attribute of the field is an inherent lower bound;
or if it just happens to describe the status quo of the Higgs
field today.  i.e. could one theoretically do something to
cancel out the Higgs field? If so, what would happen to mass
that was passed into this "Faraday cage" of sorts? Would it
immediately explode into radiated energy?  share|improve this
question You could cancel out the Higgs field by raising the
temperature so the thermal energy was above the electro-weak
transition energy. However what you and I know as matter
wouldn't survive this much heating. –  John Rennie Oct 9 '12 at
9:16 add comment   Your Answer