- about
- what we do
- fundamental research
- Fundamental research
Fundamental research
CERN's mission is to perform world-class research infundamental particle physics. The Laboratory provides a unique range of particle accelerator facilities to enable a diverse and compelling scientific programme.
Seeking answers to questions about the universe
Curiosity is as old as humankind, and it is CERN’s raison d’être. When the Laboratory wasfounded,the structure of matter was a mystery. Today, we know that all visible matter in the Universe is composed of a remarkably small number of particles, whose behaviour is governed byfour distinct forces. CERN has played a vital role in reaching this understanding.
Throughout the 1960s, theories were advanced to explain two forces – the weak force and the electromagnetic force – in the same framework. In the 1970s, a CERN experiment brought the first experimental evidence for these ideas, and in the 1980sthe discovery of theW andZ particles – carriers of the weak force – brought confirmation of the theory. CERN researchersSimon van der Meer andCarlo Rubbia shared the1984 Nobel Prize in physics for this discovery.
During the 1990s, CERN experiments designed in light of this discovery tested the so-called electroweak theory with extreme precision, putting it on solid experimental ground. In 2010, theLHC started to provide particle collisions in a new high-energy domain, reproducing the conditions a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. This led to thediscovery at CERN of aHiggs boson – long sought as the particle linked to the mechanism that gives mass to elementary particles.
Beyond CERN's flagship accelerator, the LHC, the Laboratory has arich and diverse scientific programme. From the study ofantimatter at theantiproton decelerator, to nuclear physics at CERN's longest-running experimental facility,ISOLDE. Experiments at other accelerators and facilities both on-site and off are an equally important part of the Laboratory’s activities. Supporting all the experiments is a very strong theory programme, which carries out cutting-edge research in theoretical particle physics.
Fundamental research is CERN’s primary mission, but the Laboratory also plays a vital role indeveloping technologies,bringing nations together andtraining the scientists of tomorrow.
Exploring the unanswered questions
CERN’s world-class research has transformed our understanding of the universe, yetmany fundamental mysteries remain:
Why is the universe made only of matter, with hardly any antimatter?
Why is gravity so weak compared to other forces?
Is there only one Higgs boson, and does it behave exactly as expected?
With 95% of the mass and energy of the universe still unknown, there is still much to learn about how and why matter in the universe is the way it is.
To continue in our understanding, an upgrade to theHigh-Luminosity LHC is under way. In addition, afeasibility study is progressing for a post-LHC collider at CERN – a unique tool to study the universe in laboratory conditions and to push energy and intensity frontiers in the search for new physics.