The ATLAS [1] and CMS [2] collaborations presented today at CERN the observation of the decay of the Higgs boson [3] to fundamental particles known as bottom quarks. The finding is consistent with the prediction of the Standard Model of particle physics [4] and confirms the quantum field behind the Higgs boson also gives mass to the bottom quark.

This decay channel is the most probable for the Higgs boson, happening 58% of the time, but observing it has proven to be anything but easy. It is in fact experimentally similar to others that happen way more frequently, making it hard to isolate it from such background processes.

This observation is a milestone in the exploration of the Higgs boson and it comes six years after its discovery at CERN [5]. It was achieved by combining all the data taken thus far and by utilising modern machine learning technologies and improved analysis techniques, so to reach a significance beyond 5 sigma. With more data the ATLAS and CMS collaborations will improve the precision of these and other measurements, always watching for deviations that could signal physics beyond the Standard Model.

Researchers of the Physics Department of the University of Genoa and of the Genoa INFN section participate to both the ATLAS [6] and CMS [7] experiments. The ATLAS group in Genoa has been historically involved in the development of reconstruction techniques for isolating jets, sprays of collimated particles, originating from bottom quarks, and in searches of the Higgs boson in this decay channel.