Press Release Heidelberg University No. 101/2024
September 10,2024

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of CERN – home to the world’s most powerful particle accelerator – the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy at Heidelberg University is hosting an extensive program of activities and lectures on September 19 and 20, 2024. Under the motto “Small Particles, Big Opportunities: 70 Years of CERN”, the program offers insights into research on the world of the smallest particles and the composition of our universe. Highlights include a science pub quiz on particle physics, a panel discussion, and lectures by Heidelberg physicists addressing CERN’s history and the technological and scientific milestones of its research. Designed for a broad audience, these events are embedded in a hands-on and tour program aimed at school classes from grade 7 upwards and interested individuals. All events will take place at and around the Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, located at Im Neuenheimer Feld 227.

What is the universe, and what is it made of?
For seven decades, scientists from around the globe have been investigating the smallest particles and their interactions at CERN, the international research center for nuclear and particle physics near Geneva, Switzerland. At its heart is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – a nearly 27-kilometer-long underground circular accelerator where protons and atomic nuclei are accelerated to nearly the speed of light and collided. These experiments recreate conditions similar to those immediately following the Big Bang. Special detectors allow researchers to observe the particles produced in these collisions. Physicists from Heidelberg University play a significant role in this research, contributing to experiments such as ALICE, ATLAS, and LHCb. The goal is to extract information from these collisions to address fundamental unanswered questions about the universe’s composition and evolution.

To mark CERN’s 70th anniversary (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire), the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy at Heidelberg University is participating in a nationwide program of activities. The Heidelberg events have been initiated by Prof. Dr. Stephanie Hansmann-Menzemer from the Physics Institute, who leads the LHCb research group.

Program Highlights:

  1. Science Pub Quiz:
    On the evening of September 19, the Kirchhoff Institute for Physics will open its doors for a pub-style science quiz. The public is invited to form groups of up to six people to tackle fun and fascinating questions about particle physics and CERN in a relaxed setting.

    • Guest speakers: Prof. Dr. Monica Dunford and Dr. Sara Celani, Heidelberg physicists involved in the ATLAS and LHCb experiments, respectively. Prof. Dunford focuses on high-energy proton-proton collisions and the search for phenomena beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, while Dr. Celani explores the differences between matter and antimatter.
    • Time: 7:00 PM.
  2. Lectures and Panel Discussion:
    On the evening of September 20, three short lectures will be followed by a panel discussion featuring:

    • Prof. Dr. Monica Dunford, Prof. Dr. Hans-Christian Schultz-Coulon, and Prof. Dr. Ulrich Uwer, who will share insights into CERN’s history, its role as a technological powerhouse, and key achievements in physics research.
    • The event will be moderated by Dr. Angela Halfar.
    • Location: Lecture Hall 1, Kirchhoff Institute for Physics.
    • Time: 7:00 PM.
  3. Daytime Program for Schools and Individuals:
    From 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM on September 19 and 20, the program includes:

    • Short lectures by Heidelberg professors engaged in CERN research, offering a “journey to the Big Bang,” discussions on the “cosmic antimatter puzzle,” and explanations of particle-antiparticle differences.
    • Guided tours of a CERN research exhibit featuring hands-on experiments.
    • An Augmented Reality (AR) rally, showcasing full-scale 3D models of the LHC detectors and visualizations of cosmic particle showers.
    • The mobile exhibition “Big Bang on the Move,” presenting a time travel from the universe’s origins to today.

General Information: