CERN

European research organization

CERN

Organisation européenne pour la recherche nucléaire

  [[File:|frameless|alt=]]

Latin
Former name
Motto
Established
Laboratory type
Research type	Intergovernmental organization
Budget
Debt
Field of research
President

CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, or European Organization for Nuclear Research) is a European research organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Established in 1954, the organization is based in a northwest suburb of Geneva on the Franco-Swiss border, and has 23 member states.

History

CERN was founded in 1954 with the aim of establishing a world-class fundamental physics research organization in Europe. The acronym CERN originally stood for "Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire" (European Council for Nuclear Research), which was a provisional council established with the mandate of creating a world-class fundamental physics research organization in Europe. The name was retained even after the council was dissolved and the new organization was established.

Research and Discoveries

CERN is renowned for its contributions to the field of particle physics. The organization operates several particle accelerators and detectors, including the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which is the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator. The LHC is located in a 27-kilometer tunnel beneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva.

One of CERN's most significant achievements was the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, a fundamental particle associated with the Higgs field, which gives mass to other particles. This discovery was a major milestone in the field of particle physics and confirmed the last unverified part of the Standard Model of particle physics.

Facilities

CERN's main site in Meyrin, near Geneva, is home to a large number of facilities and experiments. Some of the key facilities include:

• The Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
• The Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS)
• The Proton Synchrotron (PS)
• The Antiproton Decelerator (AD)
• The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS)
• The ATLAS experiment

Member States

CERN has 23 member states, primarily from Europe. These member states contribute to the funding and governance of the organization. Some of the member states include:

• France
• Germany
• Italy
• United Kingdom
• Switzerland

International Collaboration

CERN collaborates with numerous scientific institutions and universities around the world. It also hosts a large number of visiting scientists and engineers who contribute to its research programs. The organization is a key player in the global scientific community and works closely with other major research institutions.

Education and Outreach

CERN is committed to education and outreach, offering a variety of programs for students, teachers, and the general public. These programs aim to promote interest in science and technology and to educate the public about the importance of fundamental research.

See Also

• Large Hadron Collider
• Higgs boson
• Standard Model
• Particle physics
• European Space Agency