Home | CERN CERN | Accelerating science Sign In Directory About About CERN → Who we are Our Mission Our Governance Our Member States Our History Our People What we do Fundamental research Contribute to society Environmentally responsible research Bring nations together Inspire and educate Key achievements Higgs boson W boson: Sunshine and stardust Z boson Large Hadron Collider Birth of the Web Antimatter News News → Press room Media kits Resources Events → Science Science → Physics Antimatter Dark matter The early universe The Higgs boson The Standard Model Accelerators CERN accelerator complex The Antiproton Decelerator Large Hadron Collider HiLumi LHC Future Circular Collider Engineering Accelerating: Radiofrequency cavities Pulling together: Superconducting electromagnets A vacuum as empty as interstellar space Cryogenics: Low temperatures, high performance Powering CERN Computing The CERN Data Centre The Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG) CERN openlab Open source for open science The birth of the Web Experiments ALICE ATLAS CMS LHCb Long Shutdown 3 Search English English Français European Laboratory for Particle Physics At CERN, scientists from around the world use unique machines to explore how the Universe works, pushing the limits of technology for the benefit of society. 1/3 The puzzle of neutrinos, seventy years on Theorised in 1930 and discovered in 1956, the elusive neutrino still keeps many of its secrets, inspiring research efforts at CERN and around the world Read more Oxygen collisions show new indications of extreme state of matter LHC experiments explore new ways to recreate the first microseconds after the Big Bang Read more HiLumi LHC: new magnets reach full power The new generation of quadrupole magnets at the IT String test facility has reached its nominal current, validating key technologies for the High-Luminosity LHC Read more The puzzle of neutrinos, seventy years on Theorised in 1930 and discovered in 1956, the elusive neutrino still keeps many of its secrets, inspiring research efforts at CERN and around the world Read more Oxygen collisions show new indications of extreme state of matter LHC experiments explore new ways to recreate the first microseconds after the Big Bang Read more Latest News View all news → No posts were found. Try to change the category or the date filters. Read more news Physics Accelerators Experiments Engineering Computing Knowledge sharing What’s going on at CERN? As of mid-2026, CERN’s accelerator complex and experiment facilities are undergoing major maintenance and upgrade work. This phase, known as Long Shutdown 3, involves thousands of experts from many different disciplines. The work centres on transforming the LHC into a high-luminosity machine, the HiLumi LHC. Most of the other accelerators and experimental facilities are being upgraded as well. Follow the progress Explore CERN Physics Accelerators Experiments Technology from CERN to society CERN and the environment Educational resources Visit CERN Plan your visit Tour the accelerator complex Accelerating science IN PREPARATION HiLumi LHC The High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider will increase by a factor of ten the number of particle collisions (called “luminosity”), vastly increasing the volume of physics data available for researchers. This leap forward will allow physicists to explore the behaviour of the Higgs boson and other elementary particles with unprecedented precision, increasing the potential for discoveries after 2030. Learn more LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Future Circular Collider The Future Circular Collider could be Europe’s next-generation particle collider: a unique tool to explore the deepest mysteries of the Universe and to drive technology, innovation and skills for decades to come. This new collider would help answer many questions about nature’s rulebook that lie beyond the reach of current colliders. Learn more Key achievements Higgs boson Discovered in 2012 by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the Higgs boson confirms the Higgs mechanism, which explains how elementary particles acquire mass through interaction with the Higgs field. Learn more Large Hadron Collider The 27-kilometre LHC, the worlds largest particle accelerator, first started in 2008. It collides protons or lead ions at energies approaching the speed of light. Learn more Antimatter CERN operates the worlds only dedicated antimatter facility, producing the first anti-atoms in 1995 and later trapping and transporting antimatter. Learn more Birth of the Web In 1989, CERN computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web to enable efficient sharing of research data among scientists around the globe. Learn more Neutral currents Observed at CERN in 1973, via the Gargamelle bubble chamber, and provided the first evidence of the weak neutral force. Learn more W bosons Discovered at CERN in 1983, the W boson carries the weak force. It can change the character of particles of matter – allowing the Sun to burn and new elements to form. Learn more Z bosons Discovered at CERN in 1983, the Z boson is a neutral elementary particle that, along with its electrically charged cousin, the W boson, carries the weak force. Learn more At CERN, scientists from around the world explore the fundamental structure of the Universe. They use large and complex instruments to push the boundaries of human knowledge. 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