Physics
Symmetry Breaking
Quick fact
The Higgs mechanism, a form of symmetry breaking, gives mass to elementary particles like electrons and quarks, yet it was only confirmed experimentally in 2012 with the discovery of the Higgs boson.
Why this is interesting
A perfectly round pencil balanced on its tip stands symmetric, but the slightest nudge makes it fall in one direction—why does nature often break its own symmetry?