View source for CERN

{{Short description|European particle physics research centre}}
{{Other uses|Cern (disambiguation)}}
{{Pp-move}}
{{Pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
| native name              = {{lang|fr|Organisation européenne pour la recherche nucléaire}}
| native_name_lang         = fr
| logo                     = [[file:CERN logo badge.svg|160px]]
| image                    = CERN-aerial 1.jpg
| caption                  = CERN's main site in [[Meyrin]], Switzerland, looking towards the French border
| map                      = CERN member states.svg
| formation                = {{start date and age|df=yes|1954|9|29}}<ref name="Gillies2018">{{cite book|author=James Gillies|title=CERN and the Higgs Boson: The Global Quest for the Building Blocks of Reality|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0etmDwAAQBAJ|year=2018|publisher=Icon Books Ltd.|isbn=978-1-78578-393-7}}</ref>
| headquarters             = [[Meyrin]], Geneva, Switzerland<br />{{Coord|46|14|03|N|6|03|10|E|region:CH-GE_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
| leader_title             = Council President
| leader_name              = [[:de:Costas Fountas|Costas Fountas (German version)]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Professor Costas Fountas elected as next President of the CERN Council |url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/professor-costas-fountas-elected-next-president-cern-council|website=CERN|access-date=11 June 2025|date=30 September 2024}}</ref>
| leader_title2            = [[List of directors general of CERN|Director-General]]
| leader_name2             = [[Fabiola Gianotti]]
| name                     = European Organization for Nuclear Research
| mcaption                 = States with full CERN membership
| membership               = {{Collapsible list
| title = Full members (25):
| {{flag|Austria}}
| {{flag|Belgium}}
| {{flag|Bulgaria}}
| {{flag|Czech Republic}}
| {{flag|Denmark}}
| {{flag|Estonia}}
| {{flag|Finland}}
| {{flag|France}}
| {{flag|Germany}}
| {{flag|Greece}}
| {{flag|Hungary}}
| {{flag|Israel}}
| {{flag|Italy}}
| {{flag|Netherlands}}
| {{flag|Norway}}
| {{flag|Poland}}
| {{flag|Portugal}}
| {{flag|Romania}}
| {{flag|Serbia}}
| {{flag|Slovakia}}
| {{flag|Slovenia}}
| {{flag|Spain}}
| {{flag|Sweden}}
| {{flag|Switzerland}}
| {{flag|United Kingdom}}
}}{{Collapsible list
| title = Associate members (10):
| {{flag|Brazil}}
| {{flag|Croatia}}
| {{flag|Cyprus}}
| {{flag|India}}
| {{flag|Ireland}}
| {{flag|Latvia}}
| {{flag|Lithuania}}
| {{flag|Pakistan}}
| {{flag|Slovenia}}
| {{flag|Turkey}}
| {{flag|Ukraine}}
}}
| languages                = [[English language|English]] and [[French language|French]]
| budget                   = 1405m [[Swiss franc|CHF]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Final Budget of the Organization for the sixty-eighth financial year 2022 |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2799091/files/English.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://cds.cern.ch/record/2799091/files/English.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |website=CERN |access-date=9 September 2022}}</ref>
| budget_year              = 2022
| website                  = {{ofurl}}
}}

The '''European Organization for Nuclear Research''',<!-- The official name contains organization/organisation, NOT council/conseil (the latter is in the outdated acronym CERN, which was nevertheless retained by the organization). You can read the history section or the relevant part of this article for more insight. --> known as '''CERN'''<!-- The acronym is explained on CERN's website: https://home.cern/about --> ({{IPAc-en|s|ɜːr|n}}; {{IPA|fr|sɛʁn}}; {{lang|fr|Organisation européenne pour la recherche nucléaire}}), is an [[intergovernmental organization]] that operates the largest [[particle physics]] laboratory in the world. Established in 1954, it is based in [[Meyrin]], a western suburb of [[Geneva]], on the [[France–Switzerland border]]. It comprises [[#Member states and budget|24 member states]].<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2020 |title=Governance |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2723123 |journal=CERN Annual Report |language=en |publisher=CERN |volume=2019 |page=50 |doi=10.17181/ANNUALREPORT2019 |author1=CERN}}</ref> Israel, admitted in 2013, is the only full member geographically out of Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/55869|title=CERN to admit Israel as first new member state since 1999 – CERN Courier|website=cerncourier.com|date=22 January 2014|access-date=3 May 2021|archive-date=19 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619044901/http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/55869}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CERN accepts Israel as full member |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/cern-accepts-israel-as-full-member/ |access-date=10 November 2022 |website=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=12 December 2013 |language=en-US}}</ref> CERN is an official [[United Nations General Assembly observers#Intergovernmental organizations|United Nations General Assembly observer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/about-us/intergovernmental-and-other-organizations|title=Intergovernmental Organizations|publisher=United Nations}}</ref>

The acronym CERN is also used to refer to the laboratory; in 2024, it had {{val|2,704}} scientific, technical, and administrative staff members, and hosted about {{val|12,406}} users from institutions in more than 80 countries.<ref>{{cite journal |year=2024 |title=CERN in figures |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2931994/files/CERNAnnualReport_2024_EN_online.pdf |journal=CERN Annual Report |language=en |publisher=CERN |volume=2024 |page=53 |doi=10.17181/ANNUALREPORT2024 |author1=CERN}}</ref> In 2016, CERN generated 49 [[Byte#Multiple-byte units|petabytes]] of data.<ref>{{cite book |year=2017 |chapter=Discovery machines |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2270805 |title=CERN Annual report 2016 |series=Annual Report of the European Organization for Nuclear Research |language=en |publisher=CERN |volume=2016 |pages=20–29 |chapter-url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2270811?ln=en}}</ref>

CERN's main function is to provide the [[particle accelerator]]s and other infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research – consequently, numerous experiments have been constructed at CERN through international collaborations. CERN is the site of the [[Large Hadron Collider]] (LHC), the world's largest and highest-energy particle collider.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Large Hadron Collider |url=https://home.cern/science/accelerators/large-hadron-collider |access-date=2021-05-29 |website=CERN |language=en}}</ref> The main site at [[Meyrin]] hosts a large computing facility, which is primarily used to store and analyze data from experiments, as well as simulate [[event (particle physics)|events]]. As researchers require remote access to these facilities, the lab has historically been a major [[wide area network]] hub. CERN is also the birthplace of the [[World Wide Web]].<ref>
{{cite book
 |first       = Stephanie Sammartino
 |last        = McPherson
 |title       = Tim Berners-Lee: Inventor of the World Wide Web
 |url         = https://archive.org/details/timbernerslee0000mcph
 |url-access  = registration
 |year        = 2009
 |publisher   = Twenty-First Century Books
 |isbn        = 978-0-8225-7273-2
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Gillies|first1=James|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pIH-JijUNS0C&q=How+the+Web+Was+Born+%3A+The+Story+of+the+World+Wide+Web|title=How the Web was Born: The Story of the World Wide Web|last2=Cailliau|first2=Robert|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2000|isbn=978-0-19-286207-5|language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
The convention establishing CERN<ref name=":0" /> was ratified on 29 September 1954 by 12 countries in Western Europe.<ref>{{Cite book|title=History of CERN|publisher=North-Holland Physics Pub|last1=Hermann |first1=Armin |last2=Belloni |first2=Lanfranco |last3=Krige |first3=John |others=European Organization for Nuclear Research |year=1987|isbn=0-444-87037-7|location=Amsterdam|pages=|oclc=14692480}}</ref> The acronym CERN originally represented the French words for {{lang|fr|Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire}} ('European Council for Nuclear Research'), which was a provisional council for building the laboratory, established by 12 European governments in 1952. During these early years, the council worked at the [[University of Copenhagen]] under the direction of [[Niels Bohr]] before moving to its present site near Geneva.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Krige|first=John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yzE9AQAAIAAJ&q=oern|title=From the Provisional Organization to the Permanent CERN, May 1952 – September 1954: A survey of developments|publisher=Study Team for CERN History|year=1985|page=5|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Dakin|first=S. A. ff.|date=2 November 1954|title=Conflict between title and initials of the Organization|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/59712/files/Memo%202%20November%201954%20.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://cds.cern.ch/record/59712/files/Memo%202%20November%201954%20.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The acronym was retained for the new laboratory after the provisional council was dissolved, even though the name changed to the current {{lang|fr|Organisation européenne pour la recherche nucléaire}} ('European Organization for Nuclear Research') in 1954.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Krige|first=John|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yzE9AQAAIAAJ&q=oern|title=From the Provisional Organization to the Permanent CERN, May 1952 – September 1954: A survey of developments|publisher=Study Team for CERN History|year=1985|page=5|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Dakin|first=S. A. ff.|date=2 November 1954|title=Conflict between title and initials of the Organization|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/59712/files/Memo%202%20November%201954%20.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://cds.cern.ch/record/59712/files/Memo%202%20November%201954%20.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to [[Lew Kowarski]], a former director of CERN, when the name was changed, the abbreviation could have become the awkward OERN,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fraser|first=Gordon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xwGhmwYyDLQC&q=%22OERN%22+heisenberg&pg=PA229|title=The Quantum Exodus: Jewish Fugitives, the Atomic Bomb, and the Holocaust|publisher=OUP Oxford|year=2012|isbn=978-0-19-162751-4|language=en}}</ref> and [[Werner Heisenberg]] said that this could "still be CERN even if the name is [not]".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-03-20|title=Lew Kowarski – Session VI|url=https://www.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/oral-histories/4717-6|access-date=2021-02-08|website=www.aip.org|language=en}}</ref>

CERN's first president was Sir [[Ben Lockspeiser|Benjamin Lockspeiser]]. [[Edoardo Amaldi]] was the general secretary of CERN at its early stages when operations were still provisional, and the first Director-General (1954) was [[Felix Bloch]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1730968 |title=People and things: Felix Bloch |access-date=1 September 2015 |journal=CERN Courier |year=1983 }}</ref>

The laboratory was originally devoted to the study of [[atomic nucleus|atomic nuclei]], but was soon applied to [[high-energy physics|higher-energy physics]], concerned mainly with the study of interactions between [[subatomic particle]]s. Therefore, the laboratory operated by CERN is commonly referred to as the '''European laboratory for particle physics''' ({{lang|fr|Laboratoire européen pour la physique des particules}}), which better describes the research being performed there.{{Citation needed|reason=This claim needs a reliable source; This name form was clearly used in the late 80s and in the 1990s, but has been less common after year 2000.|date=February 2021}}

=== Founding members ===
[[File:Cernfounders.png|thumb|upright=0.95|The 12 founding member states of CERN in 1954<ref name="foundation">{{cite web|url=https://public.web.cern.ch/public/en/About/History54-en.html |title=CERN.ch |publisher=CERN |access-date=20 November 2010}}</ref>]]
At the sixth session of the CERN Council in Paris from 29 June to 1 July 1953, the convention establishing the organization was signed, subject to ratification, by 12 states. The convention was gradually ratified by the 12 founding Member States: Belgium, Denmark, France, the [[West Germany|Federal Republic of Germany]], Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and [[SFR Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/17750/|title=6th Session of the European Council for Nuclear Research, 29–30 Jun 1953: Minutes |publisher=CERN | location=Paris|date=28 September 2023}}</ref>

=== Scientific achievements ===
Several major achievements in particle physics have occurred in experiments at CERN. They include:
* 1973: The discovery of [[neutral current]]s in the [[Gargamelle]] bubble chamber;<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-662-12779-7|title=Prestigious discoveries at CERN|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|year=2003|isbn=978-3-642-05855-4|editor-last=Cashmore|editor-first=Roger|location=Berlin & Heidelberg|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-3-662-12779-7|editor-last2=Maiani|editor-first2=Luciano|editor-last3=Revol|editor-first3=Jean-Pierre}}</ref>
* 1983: The discovery of [[W and Z bosons]] in the [[UA1 experiment|UA1]] and [[UA2 experiment]]s;<ref name=":1" />
* 1989: The determination of the number of light [[neutrino]] families at the [[Large Electron–Positron Collider]] (LEP) operating on the Z boson peak;<ref>{{citation |last=Mele |first=Salvatore |title=60 Years of CERN Experiments and Discoveries |chapter=The measurement of the number of light neutrino species at LEP |chapter-url=https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/9789814644150_0004 |series=Advanced Series on Directions in High Energy Physics |year=2015 |volume=23 |pages=89–106 |publication-date=2015 |publisher=World Scientific |language=en |doi=10.1142/9789814644150_0004 |isbn=978-981-4644-14-3 |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2103251 |access-date=2021-02-23}}</ref>
* 1995: The first creation of [[antihydrogen]] atoms in the [[PS210 experiment]];<ref>{{cite book |last=Close |first=Frank |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lLRwDwAAQBAJ&q=first++1995+antihydrogen&pg=PA93 |title=Antimatter |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2018 |isbn=978-0-19-883191-4 |pages=93–96 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Baur |first1=G. |last2=Boero |first2=G. |last3=Brauksiepe |first3=A. |last4=Buzzo |first4=A. |last5=Eyrich |first5=W. |last6=Geyer |first6=R. |last7=Grzonka |first7=D. |last8=Hauffe |first8=J. |last9=Kilian |first9=K. |last10=LoVetere |first10=M. |last11=Macri |first11=M. |year=1996 |title=Production of antihydrogen |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/0370269396000056 |journal=Physics Letters B |language=en |volume=368 |issue=3 |pages=251–258 |doi=10.1016/0370-2693(96)00005-6|bibcode=1996PhLB..368..251B}}</ref>
* 1995–2005: Precision measurement of the Z lineshape,<ref>{{cite journal |author1=The ALEPH Collaboration |author2=The DELPHI Collaboration |author3=The L3 Collaboration |author4=The OPAL Collaboration |author5=The SLD Collaboration |author6=The LEP Electroweak Working Group |author7=The SLD Electroweak Group |author8=The SLD Heavy Flavour Group |title=Precision electroweak measurements on the Z resonance |journal=Physics Reports |date=May 2006 |volume=427 |issue=5–6 |pages=257–454 |doi=10.1016/j.physrep.2005.12.006 |arxiv=hep-ex/0509008 |bibcode=2006PhR...427..257A |s2cid=119482321 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370157305005119 |access-date=11 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Blondel |first1=Alain |last2=Mariotti |first2=Chiara |last3=Pieri |first3=Marco |last4=Wells |first4=Pippa |title=LEP's electroweak leap |url=https://cerncourier.com/a/leps-electroweak-leap/ |access-date=11 April 2023 |work=CERN Courier |date=11 September 2019}}</ref> based predominantly on LEP data collected on the Z resonance from 1990 to 1995;
* 1999: The discovery of direct [[CP violation]] in the [[NA48 experiment]];<ref name="NA48">{{cite journal |last1=Fanti |first1=V. |title=A new measurement of direct CP violation in two pion decays of the neutral kaon|journal=[[Physics Letters B]] |volume=465 |issue=1–4 |pages=335–348 |year=1999 |arxiv=hep-ex/9909022 |bibcode = 1999PhLB..465..335F |doi = 10.1016/S0370-2693(99)01030-8 |display-authors=1 |last2=Lai |first2=A. |last3=Marras |first3=D. |last4=Musa |first4=L. |last5=Bevan |first5=A.J. |last6=Gershon |first6=T.J. |last7=Hay |first7=B. |last8=Moore |first8=R.W. |last9=Moore |first9=K.N.|last10=Munday |first10=D.J. |last11=Needham |first11=M.D. |last12=Parker |first12=M.A. |last13=Takach |first13=S.F. |last14=White |first14=T.O. |last15=Wotton |first15=S.A. |last16=Barr |first16=G. |last17=Blümer |first17=H. |last18=Bocquet |first18=G. |last19=Bremer |first19=J. |last20=Ceccucci |first20=A. |last21=Cogan |first21=J. |last22=Cundy |first22=D. |last23=Doble |first23=N. |last24=Funk |first24=W. |last25=Gatignon |first25=L. |last26=Gianoli |first26=A. |last27=Gonidec |first27=A. |last28=Govi |first28=G. |last29=Grafström |first29=P. |last30=Kesseler |first30=G. |hdl=11577/2490003 |url=https://na48.web.cern.ch/NA48/Welcome/papers/eprime97/eprime97.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://na48.web.cern.ch/NA48/Welcome/papers/eprime97/eprime97.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|citeseerx=10.1.1.34.322 |s2cid=15277360 }}</ref>
* 2000: The Heavy Ion Programme discovered a new state of matter, [[quark–gluon plasma]].<ref>{{cite web |title=New State of Matter created at CERN |url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/new-state-matter-created-cern |access-date=2021-07-30 |website=CERN |language=en}}</ref>
* 2010: The isolation of 38 atoms of [[antihydrogen]];<ref>{{cite journal|last=Reich|first=Eugenie Samuel|year=2010|title=Antimatter held for questioning|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=468|issue=7322|page=355|doi=10.1038/468355a|pmid=21085144|bibcode=2010Natur.468..355R|s2cid=4428830|issn=0028-0836|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Antihydrogen">{{cite news |author=Shaikh |first=Thair |date=18 November 2010 |title=Scientists capture antimatter atoms in particle breakthrough |publisher=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/18/switzerland.cern.antimatter/?hpt=Mid}}</ref>
* 2011: Maintaining [[antihydrogen]] for over 15 minutes;<ref>{{cite journal |last=Matson |first=John |year=2011 |title=Antimatter trapped for more than 15 minutes |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/news.2011.349 |journal=Nature |language=en |article-number=news.2011.349 |doi=10.1038/news.2011.349 |issn=0028-0836 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Amos |first=Jonathan |date=6 June 2011 |title=Antimatter atoms are corralled even longer |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-13666892 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>
* 2012: The discovery of a [[boson]] with mass around {{val|125|u=GeV/c2}} consistent with the long-sought [[Higgs boson]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Randall |first=Lisa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qcL1D2vlMKoC |title=Higgs Discovery: The Power of Empty Space |year=2012 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-1-4481-6116-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Aad |first1=G. |last2=Abajyan |first2=T. |last3=Abbott |first3=B. |last4=Abdallah |first4=J. |last5=Abdel Khalek |first5=S. |last6=Abdelalim |first6=A.A. |last7=Abdinov |first7=O. |last8=Aben |first8=R. |last9=Abi |first9=B. |last10=Abolins |first10=M. |last11=AbouZeid |first11=O.S. |year=2012 |title=Observation of a new particle in the search for the Standard Model Higgs boson with the ATLAS detector at the LHC |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S037026931200857X |journal=Physics Letters B |language=en |volume=716 |issue=1 |pages=1–29 |doi=10.1016/j.physletb.2012.08.020 |arxiv=1207.7214 |bibcode=2012PhLB..716....1A |s2cid=119169617}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |year=2012 |title=Observation of a new boson at a mass of 125&nbsp;GeV with the CMS experiment at the LHC |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370269312008581 |journal=Physics Letters B |language=en |volume=716 |issue=1 |pages=30–61 |doi=10.1016/j.physletb.2012.08.021 |issn=0370-2693 |last1=Chatrchyan |first1=S. |last2=Khachatryan |first2=V. |last3=Sirunyan |first3=A.M. |last4=Tumasyan |first4=A. |last5=Adam |first5=W. |last6=Aguilo |first6=E. |last7=Bergauer |first7=T. |last8=Dragicevic |first8=M. |last9=Erö |first9=J. |last10=Fabjan |first10=C. |last11=Friedl |first11=M. |last12=Frühwirth |first12=R. |last13=Ghete |first13=V.M. |last14=Hammer |first14=J. |last15=Hoch |first15=M. |last16=Hörmann |first16=N. |last17=Hrubec |first17=J. |last18=Jeitler |first18=M. |last19=Kiesenhofer |first19=W. |last20=Knünz |first20=V. |last21=Krammer |first21=M. |last22=Krätschmer |first22=I. |last23=Liko |first23=D. |last24=Majerotto |first24=W. |last25=Mikulec |first25=I. |last26=Pernicka |first26=M. |last27=Rahbaran |first27=B. |last28=Rohringer |first28=C. |last29=Rohringer |first29=H. |last30=Schöfbeck |first30=R. |arxiv=1207.7235 |bibcode=2012PhLB..716...30C |display-authors=1 |hdl=11384/61020 }}</ref>

In September 2011, CERN attracted media attention when the [[OPERA experiment|OPERA Collaboration]] reported the detection of possibly [[Faster-than-light neutrino anomaly|faster-than-light neutrinos]].<ref>Adrian Cho, [https://www.science.org/content/article/neutrinos-travel-faster-light-according-one-experiment "Neutrinos Travel Faster Than Light, According to One Experiment"], [[Science (journal)#Availability|Science NOW]], 22 September 2011.</ref> Further tests showed that the results were flawed due to an incorrectly connected [[GPS]] synchronization cable.<ref name="OPERAanomaly">{{cite web|url=https://press.cern/press-releases/2011/09/opera-experiment-reports-anomaly-flight-time-neutrinos-cern-gran-sasso|title=OPERA experiment reports anomaly in flight time of neutrinos from CERN to Gran Sasso |publisher=CERN |access-date=12 November 2016}}</ref>

The 1984 [[Nobel Prize for Physics]] was awarded to [[Carlo Rubbia]] and [[Simon van der Meer]] for the developments that resulted in the discoveries of the W and Z bosons.<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=New Scientist|last=Sutton|first=Christine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mba_9vGmyesC&q=nobel+prize+rubbia+meer&pg=PA10|title=CERN scoops up the Nobel physics prize|date=1984-10-25|publisher=Reed Business Information|language=en}}</ref> The 1992 Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to CERN staff researcher [[Georges Charpak]] "for his invention and development of particle detectors, in particular the [[multiwire proportional chamber]]". The 2013 Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to [[François Englert]] and [[Peter Higgs]] for the theoretical description of the Higgs mechanism in the year after the Higgs boson was found by CERN experiments.

==== Computer science ====
{{See also|History of the Internet|History of the World Wide Web|Protocol Wars}}
{{multiple image
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| image1 = First Web Server.jpg
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| caption1 = This [[NeXT Computer]] used by British scientist [[Sir Tim Berners-Lee]] at CERN became the first [[Web server]].
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| caption2 = This [[Cisco Systems]] router at CERN was one of the first [[IP router]]s deployed in Europe.
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| caption3 = A plaque at CERN commemorating the invention of the [[World Wide Web]] by [[Tim Berners-Lee]] and [[Robert Cailliau]]
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}}

CERN pioneered the introduction of [[TCP/IP]] for its [[intranet]], beginning in 1984. This played an influential role in the adoption of the TCP/IP in Europe (see [[History of the Internet]] and [[Protocol Wars]]).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Segal |first=Ben |date=1995 |title=A short history of Internet protocols at CERN |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/245061001 |journal=CERN}}</ref>

In 1989, the [[World Wide Web]] was invented at CERN by [[Tim Berners-Lee]]. Based on the concept of [[hypertext]], the idea was designed to facilitate information sharing between researchers.<ref name="TBL Web Proposal">{{cite web |last1=Berners-Lee |first1=Tim |title=Information Management: A Proposal |url=https://www.w3.org/History/1989/proposal.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100401051011/https://www.w3.org/History/1989/proposal.html |archive-date=1 April 2010 |access-date=12 February 2022 |website=w3.org |publisher=The World Wide Web Consortium}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-08-30 |title=The World's First Web Site |url=https://www.history.com/news/the-worlds-first-web-site |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819131610/https://www.history.com/news/the-worlds-first-web-site |archive-date=19 August 2023 |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=HISTORY |language=en}}</ref> This stemmed from Berners-Lee's earlier work at CERN on a database named [[ENQUIRE]]. A colleague, [[Robert Cailliau]], became involved in 1990.<ref>{{Cite book|last=O'Regan|first=Gerard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oSq5BAAAQBAJ|title=Giants of Computing: A Compendium of Select, Pivotal Pioneers|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|year=2013|isbn=978-1-4471-5340-5|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=O'Regan|first=Gerard|url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-02619-6|title=The Innovation in Computing Companion: A Compendium of Select, Pivotal Inventions|publisher=Springer International Publishing|year=2018|isbn=978-3-030-02618-9|location=Cham|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-3-030-02619-6|s2cid=54457158}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://public.web.cern.ch/Public/en/About/WebStory-en.html |title=CERN.ch |publisher=CERN |access-date=20 November 2010}}</ref> 

In 1995, Berners-Lee and Cailliau were jointly honoured by the [[Association for Computing Machinery]] for their contributions to the development of the World Wide Web.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Robert Cailliau|url=https://awards.acm.org/award_winners/cailliau_5353144|access-date=2021-02-28|website=awards.acm.org|language=en}}</ref> A copy of the first webpage, created by Berners-Lee, is still published on the [[World Wide Web Consortium]]'s website as a historical document.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.w3.org/History/19921103-hypertext/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html |title=The World Wide Web project |publisher=W3C |access-date=20 November 2010}}</ref> The first website was activated in 1991. On 30 April 1993, CERN announced that the World Wide Web would be free to anyone.<ref>{{Cite web |title=30 years of the web: a short history of the invention that changed the world |url=https://www.britishcouncil.org/anyone-anywhere/history-web |access-date=19 September 2025 |website=British Council |quote=Berners-Lee and others worked to ensure that CERN would make the underlying code available on a royalty-free basis, forever. This decision was announced in April 1993, and sparked a global wave of creativity, collaboration and innovation.}}</ref> It became the dominant way through which most users interact with the [[Internet]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Ari-Pekka |first1=Hameri |last2=Nordberg |first2=Markus |date=1997 |title=From Experience: Linking Available Resources and Technologies to Create a Solution for Document Sharing The Early Years of the WWW |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/371101/files/from%20experience_linking%20avalble%20resources.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Andrew |first=Oram |date=2021 |title=Open, Simple, Generative: Why the Web is the Dominant Internet Application |url=https://www.lpi.org/blog/2021/08/17/open-simple-generative-why-web-dominant-internet-application/}}</ref>

More recently, CERN has become a facility for the development of [[grid computing]], hosting projects including the [[Enabling Grids for E-sciencE]] (EGEE) and [[LHC Computing Grid]]. It also hosts the [[CERN Internet Exchange Point]] (CIXP), one of the two main [[internet exchange point]]s in Switzerland. {{As of|2022}}, CERN employs ten times more engineers and technicians than research physicists.<ref>{{cite web|title=Engineering at CERN|url=https://home.cern/science/engineering|website=home.cern}}</ref>

== Particle accelerators ==
=== Current complex ===
{{CERNaccelerators}}

[[File:Location Large Hadron Collider.PNG|thumb|upright=1.3|A map of the [[Large Hadron Collider]] together with the [[Super Proton Synchrotron]] at CERN]]

CERN operates a network of seven accelerators and two decelerators, and some additional small accelerators. Each machine in the chain increases the energy of particle beams before delivering them to experiments or to the next more powerful accelerator. The decelerators naturally decrease the energy of particle beams before delivering them to experiments or further accelerators/decelerators. Before an experiment is able to use the network of accelerators, it must be approved by the various [[List of CERN Scientific Committees|Scientific Committees of CERN]].<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |title=CERN Scientific Committees {{!}} CERN Scientific Information Service (SIS) |url=https://scientific-info.cern/archives/history_CERN/Scientific_committees |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=scientific-info.cern}}</ref> Currently (as of 2022) active machines are the LHC accelerator and:
* The [[LINAC 3]] [[linear accelerator]] generating low energy particles. It provides heavy ions at 4.2&nbsp;MeV/[[Dalton (unit)|Da]] for injection into the Low Energy Ion Ring (LEIR).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://linac2.home.cern.ch/linac2/default.htm |title=CERN Website – LINAC |publisher=CERN |access-date=20 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131027143216/https://linac2.home.cern.ch/linac2/default.htm |archive-date=27 October 2013 }}</ref>
* The [[Low Energy Ion Ring]] (LEIR) accelerates the ions from the ion linear accelerator LINAC&nbsp;3, before transferring them to the [[Proton Synchrotron]] (PS). This [[Particle accelerator|accelerator]] was commissioned in 2005, after having been reconfigured from the previous [[Low Energy Antiproton Ring]] (LEAR).<ref name="Chanel 2004 137–143">{{Cite journal|last=Chanel|first=Michel|year=2004|title=LEIR: the low energy ion ring at CERN|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0168900204011994|journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment|language=en|volume=532|issue=1–2|pages=137–143|doi=10.1016/j.nima.2004.06.040|bibcode=2004NIMPA.532..137C}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Hübner|first=K.|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1058082|title=Fifty years of research at CERN, from past to future: The Accelerators|publisher=CERN|year=2006|doi=10.5170/cern-2006-004.1}}</ref>
* The [[Linac4]] [[linear accelerator]] accelerates negative hydrogen ions to an energy of 160&nbsp;eV. The ions are then injected to the Proton Synchrotron Booster (PSB) where both electrons are then stripped from each of the hydrogen ions and thus only the nucleus containing one proton remains. The protons are then used in experiments or accelerated further in other CERN accelerators. Linac4 serves as the source of all proton beams for CERN experiments.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cerncourier.com/a/lhc-run-3-the-final-countdown/ |title=LHC Run 3: the final countdown |work=CERN Courier |date=18 February 2022 |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref>
* The [[Proton Synchrotron Booster]] increases the energy of particles generated by the proton linear accelerator before they are transferred to the other accelerators.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hanke |first=K. |year=2013 |title=Past and present operation of the CERN PS Booster|url=https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0217751X13300196|journal=International Journal of Modern Physics A |language=en |volume=28 |issue=13 |page=1330019 |doi=10.1142/S0217751X13300196 |bibcode=2013IJMPA..2830019H |issn=0217-751X |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* The 28&nbsp;[[Gigaelectronvolt|GeV]] [[Proton Synchrotron]] (PS), built during 1954–1959 and still operating as a feeder to the more powerful [[Super Proton Synchrotron|SPS]] and to many of CERN's experiments.<ref>{{Citation|last=Plass|first=Günther|title=The CERN Proton Synchrotron: 50 Years of Reliable Operation and Continued Development|url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-642-30844-4_2|work=From the PS to the LHC – 50 Years of Nobel Memories in High-Energy Physics|pages=29–47|year=2012|editor-last=Alvarez-Gaumé|editor-first=Luis|place=Berlin & Heidelberg|publisher=Springer Berlin Heidelberg|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-3-642-30844-4_2|bibcode=2012fpl..book...29P|isbn=978-3-642-30843-7|access-date=2021-02-28|editor2-last=Mangano|editor2-first=Michelangelo|editor3-last=Tsesmelis|editor3-first=Emmanuel|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* The [[Super Proton Synchrotron]] (SPS), a circular accelerator with a diameter of 2 kilometres built in a tunnel, which started operation in 1976. It was designed to deliver an energy of 300&nbsp;GeV and was gradually upgraded to 450&nbsp;GeV. As well as having its own beamlines for fixed-target experiments (currently [[COMPASS experiment|COMPASS]] and [[NA62 experiment|NA62]]), it has been operated as a [[proton]]–[[antiproton]] [[collider]] (the Sp{{overline|p}}S collider), and for accelerating high energy [[electron]]s and [[positron]]s which were injected into the [[Large Electron–Positron Collider]] (LEP). Since 2008, it has been used to inject protons and [[heavy ion]]s into the [[Large Hadron Collider]] (LHC).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hatton|first=V.|title=Conference Record of the 1991 IEEE Particle Accelerator Conference |chapter=Operational history of the SPS collider 1981–1990 |year=1991|location=San Francisco|publisher=IEEE|pages=2952–2954|doi=10.1109/PAC.1991.165151|bibcode=1991pac..conf.2952H|isbn=978-0-7803-0135-1|s2cid=33676121}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Watkins|first1=Peter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J808AAAAIAAJ|title=Story of the W and Z|last2=Watkins|publisher=CUP Archive|year=1986|isbn=978-0-521-31875-4|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Brüning|first1=Oliver|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=28DACwAAQBAJ|title=Challenges and Goals for Accelerators in the XXI Century|last2=Myers|first2=Stephen|publisher=World Scientific|year=2015|isbn=978-981-4436-40-3|language=en}}</ref>
* The [[On-Line Isotope Mass Separator]] (ISOLDE), which is used to study [[radioactive decay|unstable nuclei]]. The radioactive ions are produced by the impact of protons at an energy of 1.0–1.4&nbsp;GeV from the Proton Synchrotron Booster. It was first commissioned in 1967 and was rebuilt with major upgrades in 1974 and 1992.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Borge |first1=Maria J. G. |last2=Jonson |first2=Björn |year=2017 |title=ISOLDE past, present and future |journal=Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics |volume=44 |issue=4 |page=044011 |bibcode=2017JPhG...44d4011B |doi=10.1088/1361-6471/aa5f03 |issn=0954-3899|doi-access=free |hdl=10261/161319 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>
* The [[Antiproton Decelerator]] (AD), which reduces the velocity of antiprotons to about 10% of the [[speed of light]] for research of [[antimatter]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Ajduk|first1=Zygmunt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y5HsCgAAQBAJ&q=Antiproton+Decelerator&pg=PA1749|title=Proceedings Of The 28th International Conference On High Energy Physics (In 2 Volumes)|last2=Wroblewski|first2=Andrzej Kajetan|publisher=World Scientific|year=1997|isbn=978-981-4547-10-9|page=1749|language=en}}</ref> The AD machine was reconfigured from the previous [[Antiproton Collector]] (AC) machine.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bartmann|first1=W.|last2=Belochitskii|first2=P.|last3=Breuker|first3=H.|last4=Butin|first4=F.|last5=Carli|first5=C.|last6=Eriksson|first6=T.|last7=Maury|first7=S.|last8=Oelert|first8=W.|last9=Pasinelli|first9=S.|last10=Tranquille|first10=G.|year=2014|title=Past, present and future low energy antiproton facilities at CERN|url=https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S2010194514602610|journal=International Journal of Modern Physics: Conference Series|language=en|volume=30|page=1460261|doi=10.1142/S2010194514602610|bibcode=2014IJMPS..3060261B|issn=2010-1945|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* The [[Extra Low ENergy Antiproton ring (ELENA)|Extra Low Energy Antiproton ring]] (ELENA), which takes antiprotons from AD and decelerates them into low energies (speeds) for use in antimatter experiments.
* The [[AWAKE]] experiment, which is a proof-of-principle [[plasma acceleration|plasma wakefield accelerator]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Adli|first1=E.|last2=Ahuja|first2=A.|last3=Apsimon|first3=O.|last4=Apsimon|first4=R.|last5=Bachmann|first5=A.-M.|last6=Barrientos|first6=D.|last7=Batsch|first7=F.|last8=Bauche|first8=J.|last9=Berglyd Olsen|first9=V. K.|last10=Bernardini|first10=M.|last11=Bohl|first11=T.|year=2018|title=Acceleration of electrons in the plasma wakefield of a proton bunch|url= |journal=Nature|language=en|volume=561|issue=7723|pages=363–367|doi=10.1038/s41586-018-0485-4|issn=0028-0836|pmc=6786972|pmid=30188496|bibcode=2018Natur.561..363A}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gschwendtner|first1=E.|last2=Adli|first2=E.|last3=Amorim|first3=L.|last4=Apsimon|first4=R.|last5=Assmann|first5=R.|last6=Bachmann|first6=A.-M.|last7=Batsch|first7=F.|last8=Bauche|first8=J.|last9=Berglyd Olsen|first9=V.K.|last10=Bernardini|first10=M.|last11=Bingham|first11=R.|year=2016|title=AWAKE, The Advanced Proton Driven Plasma Wakefield Acceleration Experiment at CERN|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0168900216001881|journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment|language=en|volume=829|pages=76–82|doi=10.1016/j.nima.2016.02.026|arxiv=1512.05498|bibcode=2016NIMPA.829...76G|s2cid=53605890}}</ref>
* The [[CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research]] (CLEAR) accelerator research and development facility.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sjobak|first1=Kyrre|last2=Adli|first2=Erik|last3=Bergamaschi|first3=Michele|last4=Burger|first4=Stephane|last5=Corsini|first5=Roberto|last6=Curcio|first6=Alessandro|last7=Curt|first7=Stephane|last8=Döbert|first8=Steffen|last9=Farabolini|first9=Wilfrid|last10=Gamba|first10=Davide|last11=Garolfi|first11=Luca|year=2019|others=Boland Mark (Ed.), Tanaka Hitoshi (Ed.), Button David (Ed.), Dowd Rohan (Ed.), Schaa, Volker RW (Ed.), Tan Eugene (Ed.)|title=Status of the CLEAR Electron Beam User Facility at CERN|url=https://jacow.org/ipac2019/doi/JACoW-IPAC2019-MOPTS054.html|journal=Proceedings of the 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf.|language=en|volume=IPAC2019|pages=4 pages, 0.190 MB|doi=10.18429/JACOW-IPAC2019-MOPTS054}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gamba|first1=D.|last2=Corsini|first2=R.|last3=Curt|first3=S.|last4=Doebert|first4=S.|last5=Farabolini|first5=W.|last6=Mcmonagle|first6=G.|last7=Skowronski|first7=P.K.|last8=Tecker|first8=F.|last9=Zeeshan|first9=S.|last10=Adli|first10=E.|last11=Lindstrøm|first11=C.A.|year=2018|title=The CLEAR user facility at CERN|journal=Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment|language=en|volume=909|pages=480–483|doi=10.1016/j.nima.2017.11.080|bibcode=2018NIMPA.909..480G|s2cid=106403923|doi-access=free|hdl=10852/63044|hdl-access=free}}</ref>

==== Large Hadron Collider ====
{{Main|Large Hadron Collider}}

Many activities at CERN currently involve operating the [[Large Hadron Collider]] (LHC) and the experiments for it. The LHC represents a large-scale, worldwide scientific cooperation project.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Binoth|first1=T.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sMZDMZKLLx0C|title=LHC Physics|last2=Buttar|first2=C.|last3=Clark|first3=P. J.|last4=Glover|first4=E. W. N.|publisher=CRC Press|year=2012|isbn=978-1-4398-3770-2|language=en}}</ref>
[[File:View inside detector at the CMS cavern LHC CERN.jpg|upright|thumb|right|[[Compact Muon Solenoid|CMS]] detector for LHC]]

The LHC tunnel is located 100 metres underground, in the region between [[Geneva International Airport]] and the nearby [[Jura mountains]]. The majority of its length is on the French side of the border. It uses the 27&nbsp;km circumference circular tunnel previously occupied by the [[Large Electron–Positron Collider]] (LEP), which was shut down in November 2000. CERN's existing PS/SPS accelerator complexes are used to pre-accelerate protons and lead ions which are then injected into the LHC.

Eight experiments ([[Compact Muon Solenoid|CMS]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=The CMS Collaboration |last2=Chatrchyan |first2=S. |last3=Hmayakyan |first3=G. |last4=Khachatryan |first4=V. |last5=Sirunyan |first5=A. M. |last6=Adam |first6=W. |last7=Bauer |first7=T. |last8=Bergauer |first8=T. |last9=Bergauer |first9=H. |last10=Dragicevic |first10=M. |last11=Erö |first11=J. |year=2008 |title=The CMS experiment at the CERN LHC |journal=Journal of Instrumentation |volume=3 |issue=8 |article-number=S08004 |bibcode=2008JInst...3S8004C |doi=10.1088/1748-0221/3/08/S08004 |issn=1748-0221 |s2cid=250668481|doi-access=free |hdl=10067/730480151162165141 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> [[ATLAS experiment|ATLAS]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=The ATLAS Collaboration|url=https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/11030|title=ATLAS: A 25-Year Insider Story of the LHC Experiment|publisher=World Scientific|year=2019|isbn=978-981-327-179-1|series=Advanced Series on Directions in High Energy Physics|volume=30|language=en|doi=10.1142/11030}}</ref> [[LHCb]],<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Belyaev|first1=I.|last2=Carboni|first2=G.|last3=Harnew|first3=N.|last4=Teubert|first4=C. Matteuzzi F.|year=2021|title=The history of LHCb|journal=European Physical Journal H|volume=46|issue=1|page=3|doi=10.1140/epjh/s13129-021-00002-z|arxiv=2101.05331|bibcode=2021EPJH...46....3B|s2cid=231603240}}</ref> [[MoEDAL experiment|MoEDAL]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-05-05 |title=MoEDAL becomes the LHC's magnificent seventh |url=https://cerncourier.com/a/moedal-becomes-the-lhcs-magnificent-seventh/ |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=CERN Courier |language=en-GB}}</ref> [[TOTEM]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=The TOTEM Collaboration |last2=Anelli |first2=G. |last3=Antchev |first3=G. |last4=Aspell |first4=P. |last5=Avati |first5=V. |last6=Bagliesi |first6=M. G. |last7=Berardi |first7=V. |last8=Berretti |first8=M. |last9=Boccone |first9=V. |last10=Bottigli |first10=U |last11=Bozzo |first11=M. |year=2008 |title=The TOTEM Experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider |journal=Journal of Instrumentation |volume=3 |issue=8 |article-number=S08007 |bibcode=2008JInst...3S8007T |doi=10.1088/1748-0221/3/08/S08007 |issn=1748-0221 |s2cid=250680293|doi-access=free }}</ref> [[LHCf]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=The LHCf Collaboration |last2=Adriani |first2=O. |last3=Bonechi |first3=L. |last4=Bongi |first4=M. |last5=Castellini |first5=G. |last6=D'Alessandro |first6=R. |last7=Faus |first7=D. A. |last8=Fukui |first8=K. |last9=Grandi |first9=M. |last10=Haguenauer |first10=M. |last11=Itow |first11=Y. |year=2008 |title=The LHCf detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider |journal=Journal of Instrumentation |volume=3 |issue=8 |article-number=S08006 |bibcode=2008JInst...3S8006L |doi=10.1088/1748-0221/3/08/S08006 |issn=1748-0221 |s2cid=250679205|doi-access=free |hdl=10550/42770 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> [[FASER experiment|FASER]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Feng|first1=Jonathan L.|last2=Galon|first2=Iftah|last3=Kling|first3=Felix|last4=Trojanowski|first4=Sebastian|year=2018|title=ForwArd Search ExpeRiment at the LHC|url=https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.035001|journal=Physical Review D|language=en|volume=97|issue=3|article-number=035001|doi=10.1103/PhysRevD.97.035001|arxiv=1708.09389|bibcode=2018PhRvD..97c5001F|s2cid=119101090|issn=2470-0010}}</ref> and [[A Large Ion Collider Experiment|ALICE]]<ref>{{cite arXiv|last1=Fabjan|first1=C.|last2=Schukraft|first2=J.|year=2011|title=The story of ALICE: Building the dedicated heavy ion detector at LHC|class=physics.ins-det|eprint=1101.1257}}</ref>) are located along the collider; each of them studies particle collisions from a different aspect, and with different technologies. Construction for these experiments required an extraordinary engineering effort. For example, a special [[Crane (machine)|crane]] was rented from Belgium to lower pieces of the CMS detector into its cavern, since each piece weighed nearly {{val|2,000}} tons. The first of the approximately {{val|5,000}} magnets necessary for construction was lowered down a special shaft at in March 2005.

The LHC has begun to generate vast quantities of data, which CERN streams to laboratories around the world for distributed processing, making use of a specialized [[grid computing|grid]] infrastructure, the [[LHC Computing Grid]]. In April 2005, a trial successfully streamed 600&nbsp;MB/s to seven different sites across the world.

In August 2008, the initial particle beams were injected into the LHC.<ref name="NYT2008/07/29">{{Cite news |last=Overbye |first=Dennis |date=2008-07-29 |title=Let the Proton Smashing Begin. (The Rap Is Already Written.) |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/science/29cernrap.html |access-date=2023-09-27 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The first beam was circulated through the entire LHC on 10 September 2008,<ref name="CERNPR06.08">{{cite web |url=https://press.cern/past-events/lhc-first-beam |title=LHC First Beam |publisher=CERN |access-date=12 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113035627/https://press.cern/past-events/lhc-first-beam |archive-date=13 November 2016 }}</ref> but the system failed 10 days later because of a faulty magnet connection, and it was stopped for repairs on 19 September 2008.

The LHC resumed operation on 20 November 2009 by successfully circulating two beams, each with an energy of 3.5&nbsp;[[electronvolts|teraelectronvolts]] (TeV). The challenge for the engineers was then to line up the two beams so that they smashed into each other. This is like "firing two needles across the Atlantic and getting them to hit each other" according to [[Stephen Myers (engineer)|Stephen Myers]], director for accelerators and technology.

On 30 March 2010, the LHC successfully collided two proton beams with 3.5&nbsp;TeV of energy per proton, resulting in a 7&nbsp;TeV collision energy. This was enough to start the main research program, including the search for the [[Higgs boson]]. When the 7&nbsp;TeV experimental period ended, the LHC increased to 8&nbsp;TeV (4&nbsp;TeV per proton) starting March 2012, and soon began particle collisions at that energy. In July 2012, CERN scientists announced the discovery of a new sub-atomic particle that was later confirmed to be the [[Higgs boson]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Cho |first=Adrian |date=13 July 2012 |title=Higgs Boson Makes Its Debut After Decades-Long Search |journal=Science |volume=337 |issue=6091 |pages=141–143 |bibcode=2012Sci...337..141C |doi=10.1126/science.337.6091.141 |pmid=22798574}}</ref>

In March 2013, CERN announced that the measurements performed on the newly found particle allowed it to conclude that it was a Higgs boson.<ref name="intersitetunnel">{{cite web|url=https://press.cern/press-releases/2013/03/new-results-indicate-particle-discovered-cern-higgs-boson |title=New results indicate that particle discovered at CERN is a Higgs boson |publisher=CERN |access-date=12 November 2016}}</ref> In early 2013, the LHC was deactivated for a two-year maintenance period, to strengthen the electrical connections between magnets inside the accelerator and for other upgrades.

On 5 April 2015, after two years of maintenance and consolidation, the LHC restarted for a second run. The first ramp to the record-breaking energy of 6.5&nbsp;TeV was performed on 10 April 2015.<ref>{{cite web |last1=O'Luanaigh |first1=Cian |title=First successful beam at record energy of 6.5&nbsp;TeV |url=https://home.cern/about/updates/2015/04/first-successful-beam-record-energy-65-tev |website=CERN: Accelerating science |publisher=CERN |access-date=24 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=O'Luanaigh |first1=Cian |title=Proton beams are back in the LHC |url=https://home.cern/about/updates/2015/04/proton-beams-are-back-lhc |website=CERN: Accelerating science |publisher=CERN |access-date=24 April 2015}}</ref> In 2016, the design collision rate was exceeded for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://home.cern/about/opinion/2016/11/lhc-smashes-targets-2016-run-0 |title=LHC smashes targets for 2016 run |date=1 November 2016 }}</ref> A second two-year period of shutdown begun at the end of 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schaeffer|first=Anaïs|title=LS2 Report: Review of a rather unusual year|url=https://home.cern/news/news/accelerators/ls2-report-review-rather-unusual-year|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-01|website=CERN|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201217093833/https://home.cern/news/news/accelerators/ls2-report-review-rather-unusual-year |archive-date=17 December 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mangano|first=Michelangelo|date=2020-03-09|title=LHC at 10: the physics legacy|url=https://cerncourier.com/a/lhc-at-10-the-physics-legacy/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-01|website=CERN Courier|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325025256/https://cerncourier.com/a/lhc-at-10-the-physics-legacy/ |archive-date=25 March 2020 }}</ref>

=== Accelerators under construction ===

As of October 2019, the construction is on-going to upgrade the LHC's luminosity in a project called [[High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider|High Luminosity LHC]] (HL–LHC). This project should see the LHC accelerator upgraded by 2026 to an order of magnitude higher luminosity.<ref>{{Cite journal|year=2020|title=CERN Yellow Reports: Monographs, Vol. 10 (2020): High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC): Technical design report|url=https://e-publishing.cern.ch/index.php/CYRM/issue/view/127|journal=CERN Yellow Reports: Monographs|language=en|pages=16MB|doi=10.23731/CYRM-2020-0010|author1=CERN Yellow Reports: Monographs}}</ref>

As part of the HL–LHC upgrade project, also other CERN accelerators and their subsystems are receiving upgrades. Among other work, the LINAC 2 linear accelerator injector was decommissioned and replaced by a new injector accelerator, the [[LINAC 4|LINAC4]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=CERN Yellow Reports: Monographs|date=2020-09-18|editor-last=Vretenar|editor-first=Maurizio|title=Linac4 design report|url=https://e-publishing.cern.ch/index.php/CYRM/issue/view/121|journal=CERN Yellow Reports: Monographs|language=en|volume=2020-006|doi=10.23731/CYRM-2020-006}}</ref>

=== Decommissioned accelerators ===
* The original linear accelerator [[LINAC 1]]. Operated 1959–1992.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Haseroth|first1=H.|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/242664|title=History, developments and recent performance of the CERN linac 1|last2=Hill|first2=C. E.|last3=Langbein|first3=K.|last4=Tanke|first4=E.|last5=Taylor|first5=C.|last6=Têtu|first6=P.|last7=Warner|first7=D.|last8=Weiss|first8=M.|year=1992}}</ref>
* The [[LINAC 2]] linear accelerator injector. Accelerated protons to 50&nbsp;[[Megaelectronvolt|MeV]] for injection into the Proton Synchrotron Booster (PSB). Operated 1978–2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cerncourier.com/a/the-tale-of-a-billion-trillion-protons/|title=The tale of a billion-trillion protons|date=30 November 2018|website=CERN Courier}}</ref>
* The 600&nbsp;MeV [[Synchro-Cyclotron (CERN)|Synchro-Cyclotron]] (SC) which started operation in 1957 and was shut down in 1991. Was made into a public exhibition in 2012–2013.<ref>{{Cite journal|editor-last=Fidecaro|editor-first=Giuseppe|title=SC 33 symposium at CERN: Thirty-three years of physics at the CERN synchro-cyclotron; Geneva (Switzerland); 22 Apr 1991|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/physics-reports/vol/225/issue/1|journal=Physics Reports|volume=225|issue=1–3|pages=1–191}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://home.cern/news/news/accelerators/synchrocyclotron-prepares-visitors|title=The Synchrocyclotron prepares for visitors|website=CERN|date=28 September 2023 }}</ref>
* The [[Intersecting Storage Rings]] (ISR), an early collider built from 1966 to 1971 and operated until 1984.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hübner|first=Kurt|year=2012|title=The CERN intersecting storage rings (ISR)|url=https://link.springer.com/10.1140/epjh/e2011-20058-8|journal=The European Physical Journal H|language=en|volume=36|issue=4|pages=509–522|doi=10.1140/epjh/e2011-20058-8|bibcode=2012EPJH...36..509H|s2cid=120690134|issn=2102-6459|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Myers|first=Stephen|title=The CERN Intersecting Storage Rings|url=https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/9789814436403_0009|work=Challenges and Goals for Accelerators in the XXI Century|pages=135–151|year=2016|publisher=World Scientific|language=en|doi=10.1142/9789814436403_0009|bibcode=2016cgat.book..135M|isbn=978-981-4436-39-7|s2cid=61403290 |access-date=2021-03-02}}</ref>
* The [[Super Proton–Antiproton Synchrotron]] (Sp{{overline|p}}S), operated 1981–1991.<ref>{{Citation|last=Schmidt|first=Rudiger|title=The CERN SPS proton–antiproton collider|url=https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/9789814436403_0010|work=Challenges and Goals for Accelerators in the XXI Century|pages=153–167|year=2016|publisher=World Scientific|language=en|doi=10.1142/9789814436403_0010|bibcode=2016cgat.book..153S|isbn=978-981-4436-39-7|access-date=2021-03-02|url-access=subscription}}</ref> A modification of Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) to operate as a proton-antiproton collider.
* The [[Large Electron–Positron Collider]] (LEP), which operated 1989–2000 and was the largest machine of its kind, housed in a 27&nbsp;km-long circular tunnel which now houses the [[Large Hadron Collider]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schopper |first=Herwig |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-540-89301-1 |title=LEP – The Lord of the Collider Rings at CERN 1980-2000 |year=2009 |isbn=978-3-540-89300-4 |language=en-gb |bibcode=2009llcr.book.....S |doi=10.1007/978-3-540-89301-1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Picasso|first=Emilio|year=2012|title=A few memories from the days at LEP|url=https://link.springer.com/10.1140/epjh/e2011-20050-0|journal=The European Physical Journal H|language=en|volume=36|issue=4|pages=551–562|doi=10.1140/epjh/e2011-20050-0|bibcode=2012EPJH...36..551P|s2cid=119553748|issn=2102-6459|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* The [[LEP Pre-Injector]] (LPI) accelerator complex,<ref>{{Cite conference |last1=Battisti |first1=S. |last2=Bossart |first2=R. |last3=Delahaye |first3=J. P. |last4=Hubner |first4=K. |last5=Garoby |first5=R. |last6=Kugler |first6=H. |last7=Krusche |first7=A. |last8=Madsen |first8=J. H. B. |last9=Potier |first9=J. P. |publisher=IEEE |year=1989 |location=Chicago |pages=1815–1817 |chapter=Progress report on the LEP Pre-injector |bibcode=1989pac..conf.1815B |doi=10.1109/PAC.1989.72934 |chapter-url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/72934 |last10=Riche |first10=A. |last11=Rinolfi |first11=L. |title=Accelerator Science and Technology |conference=1989 IEEE Particle Accelerator Conference |s2cid=122800040|url=http://cds.cern.ch/record/2844301 }}</ref> consisting of two accelerators, a linear accelerator called [[LEP Injector Linac]] (LIL; itself consisting of two back-to-back linear accelerators called LIL V and LIL W) and a circular accelerator called [[Electron Positron Accumulator]] (EPA).<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Battisti|first1=S.|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/165032/|title=The design of the LEP electron positron accumulator (EPA)|last2=Bell|first2=M.|last3=Delahaye|first3=J. P.|last4=Krusche|first4=A.|last5=Kugler|first5=H.|last6=Madsen|first6=J. H. B.|last7=Poncet|first7=Alain|year=1984}}</ref> The purpose of these accelerators was to inject positron and electron beams into the CERN accelerator complex (more precisely, to the Proton Synchrotron), to be delivered to LEP after many stages of acceleration. Operational 1987–2001; after the shutdown of LEP and the completion of experiments that were directly fed by the LPI, the LPI facility was adapted to be used for the [[CLIC Test Facility 3]] (CTF3).<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Corsini |first=Roberto |year=2017 |others=Schaa, Volker RW (Ed.), Arduini Gianluigi (Ed.), Pranke Juliana (Ed.), Seidel Mike (Ed.), Lindroos Mats (Ed.) |title=Final Results from the Clic Test Facility (CTF3) |url=https://jacow.org/ipac2017/doi/JACoW-IPAC2017-TUZB1.html |journal=Proceedings of the 8th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf |language=en |volume=IPAC2017 |pages=6 pages, 0.817 MB |doi=10.18429/JACOW-IPAC2017-TUZB1}}</ref>
* The [[Low Energy Antiproton Ring]] (LEAR) was commissioned in 1982. LEAR assembled the first pieces of true [[antimatter]], in 1995, consisting of nine atoms of [[antihydrogen]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Möhl|first=D.|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/388662|title=LEAR, history and early achievements|year=1999}}</ref> It was closed in 1996, and superseded by the [[Antiproton Decelerator]]. The LEAR apparatus itself was reconfigured into the [[Low Energy Ion Ring]] (LEIR) ion booster.<ref name="Chanel 2004 137–143"/>
* The [[Antiproton Accumulator]] (AA), built 1979–1980, operations ended in 1997 and the machine was dismantled. Stored antiprotons produced by the Proton Synchrotron (PS) for use in other experiments and accelerators (for example the ISR, Sp{{overline|p}}S and LEAR). For later half of its working life operated in tandem with [[Antiproton Collector]] (AC), to form the Antiproton Accumulation Complex (AAC).<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last1=Koziol|first1=H.|last2=Möhl|first2=D.|year=2004|title=The CERN antiproton collider programme: accelerators and accumulation rings|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0370157304003503|journal=Physics Reports|language=en|volume=403-404|pages=91–106|doi=10.1016/j.physrep.2004.09.001|bibcode=2004PhR...403...91K}}</ref>
* The [[Antiproton Collector]] (AC),<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Autin|first=Bruno|year=1984|title=The CERN antiproton collector|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/156910|journal=CERN Reports|language=en|volume=CERN-84-15|pages=525–541|doi=10.5170/CERN-1984-015.525}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wilson|first=Edmund J N|year=1983|title=Design study of an antiproton collector for the antiproton accumulator (ACOL)|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/148148|journal=CERN Reports|language=en|volume=CERN-83-10|doi=10.5170/CERN-1983-010}}</ref> built 1986–1987, operations ended in 1997 and the machine was converted into the [[Antiproton Decelerator]] (AD), which is the successor machine for [[Low Energy Antiproton Ring]] (LEAR). Operated in tandem with [[Antiproton Accumulator]] (AA) and the pair formed the Antiproton Accumulation Complex (AAC),<ref name=":3" /> whose purpose was to store antiprotons produced by the Proton Synchrotron (PS) for use in other experiments and accelerators, like the [[Low Energy Antiproton Ring]] (LEAR) and [[Super Proton–Antiproton Synchrotron]] (Sp{{overline|p}}S).
* The [[CTF3|Compact Linear Collider Test Facility 3]] (CTF3), which studied feasibility for the future normal conducting linear collider project (the [[Compact Linear Collider|CLIC]] collider). In operation 2001–2016.<ref name=":2" /> One of its beamlines has been converted, from 2017 on, into the new CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research (CLEAR) facility.

=== Possible future accelerators ===
{{Main|Future Circular Collider}}CERN, in collaboration with groups worldwide, is investigating two main concepts for future accelerators: A linear electron-positron collider with a new acceleration concept to increase the energy ([[Compact Linear Collider|CLIC]]) and a larger version of the LHC, a project currently named [[Future Circular Collider]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46862486|title=Cern plans for even larger hadron collider|last=Ghosh|first=Pallab|date=15 January 2019|access-date=17 January 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Sites ==
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2023}}
[[File:CERN Building 40 (1).jpg|thumb|CERN building 40 at the Meyrin site]]
[[File:Bldng40cropped.jpg|thumb|The interior of office building 40 at the Meyrin site. Building 40 hosts many offices for scientists from the CMS and ATLAS collaborations.]]

The smaller accelerators are on the main [[Meyrin]] site, also known as the West Area, which was originally built in Switzerland alongside the French border, but has been extended to span the border since 1965. The French side is under Swiss jurisdiction and there is no obvious border within the site, apart from a line of marker stones.

The SPS and LEP/LHC tunnels are almost entirely outside the main site, and are mostly buried under French farmland and invisible from the surface. They have surface sites at points around them, either as the location of buildings associated with experiments or other facilities needed to operate the colliders such as [[Cryonics|cryogenic]] plants and access shafts. The experiments are located at the same underground level as the tunnels at these sites.

Three of these experimental sites are in France, with ATLAS in Switzerland, and some of the ancillary cryogenic and access sites are in Switzerland. The largest of the experimental sites is the [[Prévessin]] site, also known as the North Area, which is the target station for non-collider experiments on the SPS accelerator. Other sites are the ones which were used for the [[UA1 experiment|UA1]], [[UA2 experiment|UA2]] and the LEP experiments. The latter are used by LHC experiments.

Outside of the LEP and LHC experiments, most are officially named and numbered after the site where they were located. For example, [[NA32 experiment|NA32]] was an experiment looking at the production of so-called "[[charm quark|charmed]]" particles and located at the Prévessin (North Area) site. [[WA22 experiment|WA22]] used the [[Big European Bubble Chamber]] (BEBC) at the Meyrin (West Area) site to examine neutrino interactions. The [[UA1 experiment|UA1]] and [[UA2 experiment|UA2]] experiments were considered to be in the Underground Area, i.e. situated underground at sites on the SPS accelerator.

Most of the [[List of streets at CERN|roads on the CERN Meyrin and Prévessin sites]] are named after famous physicists, such as [[Wolfgang Pauli]], who pushed for CERN's creation. Other notable names are [[Richard Feynman]], [[Albert Einstein]], and [[Niels Bohr|Bohr]].

== Participation and funding ==

=== Member states and budget ===

Since its foundation by 12 members in 1954, CERN regularly accepted new members. All new members have remained in the organization continuously since their accession, except Spain and Yugoslavia. Spain first joined CERN in 1961, withdrew in 1969, and rejoined in 1983. Yugoslavia was a founding member of CERN but quit in 1961. Of the 24 members, Israel joined CERN as a full member in January 2014,<ref name=ISR /> becoming the first, and currently only, non-geographically European full member.<ref>Rahman, Fazlur. (11 November 2013) [https://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.557492 Israel may become first non-European member of nuclear research group CERN – Diplomacy and Defense Israel News]. Haaretz. Retrieved 28 April 2014.</ref>

The budget contributions of member states are computed based on their GDP.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=https://fap-dep.web.cern.ch/rpc/member-states-contributions|title=Member States' Contributions – 2019|website=CERN website|publisher=CERN|access-date=4 May 2019|archive-date=20 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120142735/https://fap-dep.web.cern.ch/rpc/member-states-contributions}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Member state
!Status since
!Contribution<br />(million [[Swiss franc|CHF]] for 2025)
!Contribution<br />(fraction of total for 2025)
!Contribution per capita{{refn|Based on the [[List of countries by population|population]] in 2017. |name=population |group=note}}<br />([[Swiss franc|CHF]]/person for 2017)
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#e9e9e9;"
| colspan=5 | '''Founding Members'''{{refn|12 founding members drafted the ''Convention for the Establishment of a European Organization for Nuclear Research'' which entered into force on 29 September 1954.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.esa.int/esapub/sp/sp1300/sp1300EN1.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.esa.int/esapub/sp/sp1300/sp1300EN1.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title=ESA Convention |date=September 2005 |edition=6th |publisher=European Space Agency |isbn=978-92-9092-397-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Convention for the Establishment of a European Organization for Nuclear Research |url=https://council.web.cern.ch/council/en/governance/Convention.html |website=CERN Council website |publisher=CERN |access-date=16 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701224642/https://council.web.cern.ch/council/en/Governance/Convention.html |archive-date=1 July 2012}}</ref> |name=founding |group=note}}
|-
| {{BEL}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|34.36}}|| style="text-align:right;" |{{nts|2.80}}% || style="text-align:right;" |{{nts|2.7}}
|-
| {{DNK}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|23.65}}|| style="text-align:right;" |{{nts|1.93}}% || style="text-align:right;" |{{nts|3.4}}
|-
| {{FRA}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|156.88}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|12.78}}% || style="text-align:right;" |{{nts|2.4}}
|-
| {{DEU}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|254.71}}|| style="text-align:right;" |{{nts|20.76}}% || style="text-align:right;" |{{nts|2.8}}
|-
| {{GRC}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|12.23}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.00}}% || style="text-align:right;" |{{nts|1.6}}
|-
| {{ITA}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|119.49}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|9.74}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.1}}
|-
| {{NLD}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|59.77}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|4.87}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|3.0}}
|-
| {{NOR}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|30.75}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.51}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|5.4}}
|-
| {{SWE}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|33.07}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.69}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|3.0}}
|-
| {{CHE}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|47.11}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|3.84}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|4.9}}
|-
| {{GBR}} || {{dts|29 September 1954}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|185.44}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|15.11}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.8}}
|-
| ''{{YUG}}''{{refn|Yugoslavia left the organization in 1961.|group=note}} || ''{{dts|29 September 1954}}''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/international-relations/ms/ |title=Member States |website=International relations |publisher=CERN |access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="timeline.web.cern.ch">{{cite web|title=Member States|url=https://timeline.web.cern.ch/timelines/Member-states|website=CERN timelines|publisher=CERN|access-date=25 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704175432/https://timeline.web.cern.ch/timelines/Member-states|archive-date=4 July 2018}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.0}}
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#e9e9e9;"
| colspan=5 | '''Acceded Members'''{{refn|Acceded members become CERN member states by ratifying the CERN convention.<ref name="Member States">{{cite web |title=CERN Member States |url=https://council.web.cern.ch/council/en/MemberStates.html |website=CERN Council website |publisher=CERN |access-date=16 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701224138/https://council.web.cern.ch/council/en/MemberStates.html |archive-date=1 July 2012}}</ref> |name=acceded |group=note}}
|-
| {{AUT}} || {{dts|1 June 1959}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|27.22}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.22}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.9}}
|-
| {{ESP}}{{refn|Spain was previously a member state from 1961 to 1969|group=note}} || {{dts|1 January 1983}}<ref name="timeline.web.cern.ch"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/International-Relations/ms/es.html |title=Spain |website=International Relations |publisher=CERN |access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|83.86}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|6.83}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.0}}
|-
| {{PRT}} || {{dts|1 January 1986}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|13.42}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.09}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.3}}
|-
| {{FIN}} || {{dts|1 January 1991}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|16.35}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.33}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.8}}
|-
| {{POL}} || {{dts|1 July 1991}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|39.20}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|3.19}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.8}}
|-
| {{HUN}} || {{dts|1 July 1992}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|8.98}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.732}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.7}}
|-
| {{CZE}} || {{dts|1 July 1993}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|14.81}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.21}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.1}}
|-
| {{SVK}} || {{dts|1 July 1993}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|6.55}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.534}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.0}}
|-
| {{BGR}} || {{dts|11 June 1999}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|4.89}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.398}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.4}}
|-
| {{ISR}} || {{dts|6 January 2014}}<ref name=ISR>{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/International-Relations/ms/il.html |title=Israel |website=International Relations |publisher=CERN |access-date=5 July 2014}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|28.90}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.36}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.7}}
|-
| {{ROM}} || {{dts|17 July 2016}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://press.cern/press-releases/2016/07/cern-welcomes-romania-its-twenty-second-member-state|title=CERN welcomes Romania as its twenty-second Member State {{!}} Media and Press Relations|website=press.cern|language=en|access-date=10 December 2017}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;" | {{nts|16.71}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.36}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.6}}
|-
| {{SRB}} || {{dts|24 March 2019}}<ref name=SRB>{{cite web |url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/serbia-joins-cern-its-23rd-member-state |title=Serbia joins CERN as its 23rd Member State |website=Media and Press Relations |publisher=CERN | date=24 March 2019 |access-date=30 March 2019}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|3.60}} || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.293}}% || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.1}}
|-
|{{EST}}
|{{dts|30 August 2024}}<ref name="home.cern">{{Cite web|title=CERN welcomes Estonia as its 24th Member State|url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/cern-welcomes-estonia-its-24th-member-state|access-date=2024-08-30|website=CERN|language=en}}</ref>|| style="text-align:right;" | {{nts|2.05}} || style="text-align:right;"| 0.167  || style="text-align:right;"| N/A
|-
| {{SLO}} || {{dts|21 June 2025}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-23 |title=CERN welcomes Slovenia as its 25th Member State |url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/cern-welcomes-slovenia-its-25th-member-state |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=CERN |language=en}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;" | {{nts|3.15}} || style="text-align:right;" |  0.257 || style="text-align:right;" | N/A
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#e9e9e9;"
| colspan=5 | '''Associate Members in the pre-stage to membership'''
|-
| {{CYP}} || {{dts|1 April 2016}}<ref name="cyprus-assoc">{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/International-Relations/assoc/cyprus.html |title=Cyprus |website=International Relations |publisher=CERN |access-date=4 April 2016}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.12}} || style="text-align:right;"|  N/A || style="text-align:right;"| N/A
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#e9e9e9;"
| colspan=5 | '''Associate Members'''
|-
| {{TUR}} || {{dts|6 May 2015}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/International-Relations/assoc/turkey.html |title=Turkey |website=International Relations |publisher=CERN |access-date=28 August 2015}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|4.96}} || style="text-align:right;"|  N/A || style="text-align:right;"|  N/A
|-
| {{PAK}} || {{dts|31 July 2015}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/International-Relations/assoc/pakistan.html |title=Pakistan |website=International Relations |publisher=CERN |access-date=21 November 2016}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|2.05}} || style="text-align:right;"|  N/A || style="text-align:right;"| N/A
|-
| {{UKR}} || {{dts|5 October 2016}}<ref name="ukraine">{{cite web |url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/ukraine-becomes-associate-member-cern |title=Ukraine becomes an associate member of CERN |website=Media and Press Relations |publisher=CERN |date=5 October 2016}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|1.03}} || style="text-align:right;"|  N/A|| style="text-align:right;"| N/A
|-
| {{IND}} || {{dts|16 January 2017}}<ref name="india">{{cite web|url=https://home.cern/about/updates/2017/01/india-becomes-associate-member-state-cern |title=India becomes Associate Member State of CERN |website=CERN Updates |publisher=CERN |date=16 January 2017}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|18.35}} || style="text-align:right;"| N/A || style="text-align:right;"| N/A
|-
| {{LIT}} || {{dts|8 January 2018}}<ref name="lithuania-assoc-cern"/> || style="text-align:right;"|{{Nts|1.00}}|| style="text-align:right;" | N/A || style="text-align:right;"| N/A
|-
|{{CRO}} || {{dts|10 October 2019}}<ref name="international-relations.web.cern.ch">{{Cite web|url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/stakeholder-relations/states/croatia|title=Croatia {{!}} International Relations|website=international-relations.web.cern.ch|access-date=5 January 2020}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{nts|0.25}} || style="text-align:right;"| N/A  || style="text-align:right;" | N/A
|-
|{{LAT}} || {{dts|2 August 2021}}<ref name="latvia-becomes-AMS-cern">{{cite news |title=Latvia becomes Associate Member State of CERN |url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/latvia-becomes-associate-member-state-cern |access-date=5 November 2022 |work=CERN |date=2 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{Nts|1.07}} || style="text-align:right;"| N/A  || style="text-align:right;" | N/A
|-
|{{BRA}} || {{dts|13 March 2024}}<ref name="brazil-becomes-AMS-cern">{{cite news |title=Brazil becomes Associate Member State of CERN |url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/brazil-becomes-associate-member-state-cern |access-date=22 March 2024 |work=CERN |date=22 March 2024 |language=en}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| {{Nts|10.23}} || style="text-align:right;"| N/A  || style="text-align:right;" | N/A
|-
|{{IRE}} || {{dts|8 May 2025}}<ref name="ireland-becomes-AMS-cern">{{cite news |date=22 October 2025 |title=Ireland becomes an Associate Member State of CERN |url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/ireland-becomes-associate-member-state-cern |access-date=22 October 2025 |work=CERN |language=en}}</ref>|| style="text-align:right;" | N/A || style="text-align:right;"| N/A  || style="text-align:right;" | N/A
|-
|{{CHI}} || {{dts|16 may 2025}}<ref name="Chile-becomes-AMS-cern">{{cite news |title=Chile to become an Associate Member State of CERN |url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/chile-become-associate-member-state-cern |access-date=11 October 2025 |work=CERN |date=16 May 2025 |language=en}}</ref> || style="text-align:right;"| N/A || style="text-align:right;"| N/A  || style="text-align:right;" | N/A
|- class="sortbottom" style="background:#e9e9e9;"
| |{{hs|za}}'''Total Members, Candidates and Associates'''||  || style="text-align:right;" |'''{{nts|1,267.95}}'''<ref name="autogenerated1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=2021 Annual Contributions to CERN budget|url=https://fap-dep.web.cern.ch/rpc/2021-annual-contributions-cern-budget|url-status=live|access-date=2021-02-21|website=CERN website|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219020118/https://fap-dep.web.cern.ch/rpc/2021-annual-contributions-cern-budget |archive-date=19 February 2021 }}</ref>|| style="text-align:right;" |'''{{nts|100.0}}%'''|| style="text-align:right;" | N/A

|}

{{reflist|group=note}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! Maps of the history of CERN membership
|-
| <gallery>
File:Cernfounders.png|1954 (12 members): CERN is founded {{Cref|a}} (1954–1990 borders)
File:CERN1959.png|1959 (13 members): Austria joins (1954–1990 borders)
File:CERN1961and1983.png|1961 (13 members): Spain joins and [[Yugoslavia]] leaves (1954–1990 borders)
File:CERN1969.png|1969 (12 members): Spain leaves (1954–1990 borders)
File:CERN1961and1983.png|1983 (13 members): Spain re-joins (1954–1990 borders)
File:CERN1985.png|1985 (14 members): Portugal joins (1954–1990 borders)
File:CERN1991.png|1991 (16 members): Poland and Finland join, and Germany has been [[Reunification of Germany|reunified]] (post-1993 borders)
File:CERN1992.png|1992 (17 members): Hungary joins (post-1993 borders)
File:CERN1993.png|1993 (19 members): Czech Republic and Slovakia join (post-1993 borders)
File:CERN1999.png|1999 (20 members): Bulgaria joins (post-1993 borders)
File:CERN-Membership-History.gif|Animated map showing changes in CERN membership from 1954 until 1999 (borders are as at dates of change)
</gallery>
|}

=== Enlargement ===

Associate Members, Candidates:
* Turkey signed an association agreement on 12 May 2014<ref name="TUR">{{cite web |url=https://home.cern/about/updates/2014/05/turkey-become-associate-member-state-cern |website=CERN press release |publisher=CERN |title=Turkey to become Associate Member State of CERN |date=12 May 2014 |access-date=5 July 2014}}</ref> and became an associate member on 6 May 2015.
* Pakistan signed an association agreement on 19 December 2014<ref name="PAK">{{cite web |date=20 June 2014 |title=Pakistan Becomes the First Associate CERN Member from Asia |url=https://www.mofa.gov.pk/pr-details.php?prID=2050 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626192200/http://www.mofa.gov.pk/pr-details.php?prID=2050 |archive-date=26 Jun 2018 |access-date=5 July 2014 |website=Government of Pakistan press releases |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan}}</ref> and became an associate member on 31 July 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title = Pakistan becomes Associate Member State of CERN |url = https://home.cern/about/updates/2015/07/pakistan-becomes-associate-member-state-cern|website = CERN|access-date = 1 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Pakistan officially becomes an associate member of CERN – The Express Tribune| date=31 July 2015 |url = https://tribune.com.pk/story/930265/pakistan-officially-becomes-an-associate-member-of-cern/|access-date = 1 August 2015}}</ref>
* Cyprus signed an association agreement on 5 October 2012 and became an associate member in the pre-stage to membership on 1 April 2016.<ref name="cyprus-assoc" />
* Ukraine signed an association agreement on 3 October 2013. The agreement was ratified on 5 October 2016.<ref name="ukraine" />
* India signed an association agreement on 21 November 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://press.cern/press-releases/2016/11/india-become-associate-member-state-cern |title=India to become Associate Member State of CERN |date=21 November 2016}}</ref> The agreement was ratified on 16 January 2017.<ref name="india" />
* Slovenia was approved for admission as an Associate Member state in the pre-stage to membership on 16 December 2016.<ref name="slovenia-assoc">{{cite web |date=16 December 2016 |title=Slovenia to enter the Associate Member State family of CERN |url=https://press.cern/press-releases/2016/12/slovenia-enter-associate-member-state-family-cern |website=Media and Press Relations |publisher=CERN}}</ref> The agreement was ratified on 4 July 2017.<ref name="slovenia-assoc-ratify">{{cite web |date=4 July 2017 |title=Slovenia becomes an Associate Member in the pre-stage to Membership at CERN |url=https://press.cern/update/2017/07/slovenia-becomes-associate-member-pre-stage-membership-cern |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181103080639/https://press.cern/update/2017/07/slovenia-becomes-associate-member-pre-stage-membership-cern |archive-date=3 November 2018 |access-date=4 July 2017 |website=Media and Press Relations |publisher=CERN}}</ref>
* Lithuania was approved for admission as an Associate Member state on 16 June 2017. The association agreement was signed on 27 June 2017 and ratified on 8 January 2018.<ref name="lithuania-assoc-lrp">{{cite web|url=https://www.lrp.lt/en/press-centre/press-releases/lithuania-has-become-associate-member-of-cern/27822|title=Lithuania has become associate member of CERN|website=lrp.lt}}</ref><ref name="lithuania-assoc-cern">{{cite web |author=Jarlett |first=Harriet Kim |date=8 January 2018 |title=Lithuania becomes Associate Member State of CERN |url=https://home.cern/about/updates/2018/01/lithuania-becomes-associate-member-state-cern |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314173513/https://home.cern/about/updates/2018/01/lithuania-becomes-associate-member-state-cern |archive-date=14 March 2018 |access-date=8 January 2018 |website=CERN}}</ref>
* Croatia was approved for admission as an Associate Member state on 28 February 2019. The agreement was ratified on 10 October 2019.<ref name="international-relations.web.cern.ch" />
* Latvia and CERN signed an associate membership agreement on 14 April 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=Latvia to join CERN as an Associate Member State |url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/latvia-join-cern-associate-member-state |access-date=5 November 2022 |work=CERN |date=14 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Latvia was formally admitted as an Associate Member on 2 August 2021.<ref name="latvia-becomes-AMS-cern" />
* Brazil became the first associate member of the Americas on 13 March 2024, after signing the associate membership agreement in March 2022.<ref name="brazil-becomes-AMS-cern" />
* Chile and Ireland were approved as new Associate Member States, subject to completion of the necessary accession and ratification processes in the countries on March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gianotti |first=Fabiola |date=2025-04-04 |title=News from the March 2025 CERN Council Session |url=https://home.cern/news/opinion/cern/news-march-2025-cern-council-session |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=CERN |language=en}}</ref>

=== International relations ===

Three countries have observer status:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/International-Relations/obs/ |title=Observers |website=International Relations |publisher=CERN |access-date=15 December 2015}}</ref>
* Japan – since 1995
* Russia – since 1993 (suspended as of March 2022)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/cern-council-responds-russian-invasion-ukraine|title=CERN Council responds to Russian invasion of Ukraine |website=News |publisher=CERN |access-date=8 March 2022}}</ref>
* United States – since 1997

Also observers are the following international organizations:
* UNESCO – since 1954
* [[European Commission]] – since 1985
* [[Joint Institute for Nuclear Research|JINR]] – since 2014 (suspended as of March 2022)<ref name="war2022">{{cite web |url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/cern-council-takes-further-measures-response-invasion-ukraine|title=CERN Council takes further measures in response to the invasion of Ukraine |website=News |publisher=CERN |access-date=25 March 2022}}</ref>

Non-Member States (with dates of Co-operation Agreements) currently involved in CERN programmes are:<ref name="member-states">{{cite web|url=https://home.cern/about/member-states |title=Member states |publisher=CERN |access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Associate & Non-Member State Relations {{!}} International Relations |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/stakeholder-relations/Associate-Non-Member-State-Relations#NMS |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=international-relations.web.cern.ch}}</ref>

{{columns-list|
* Albania – October 2014
* Algeria – 2008
* Argentina – 11 March 1992
* Armenia – 25 March 1994
* Australia – 1 November 1991
* Azerbaijan – 3 December 1997
* Bangladesh – 2014
* Belarus – 28 June 1994 (suspended as of March 2022<ref name="war2022"/>)
* Bolivia – 2007
* Bosnia & Herzegovina – 16 February 2021<ref>{{cite web |url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/cern-lays-foundations-collaboration-bosnia-and-herzegovina-through-international |title=CERN lays foundations for collaboration with Bosnia and Herzegovina through International Cooperation Agreement |website=CERN |access-date=28 August 2023}}</ref>
* Canada – 11 October 1996
* Chile – 10 October 1991
* China – 12 July 1991, 14 August 1997 & 17 February 2004
* Colombia – 15 May 1993
* Costa Rica – February 2014
* Ecuador – 1999
* Egypt – 16 January 2006
* Georgia – 11 October 1996
* Iceland – 11 September 1996
* Iran – 5 July 2001
* Jordan – 12 June 2003<ref>{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/international-relations/nms/jordan.html |title=Jordan |website=International Relations |publisher=CERN |access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref> MoU with Jordan and [[International Centre for Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science Applications in the Middle East|SESAME]], in preparation of a cooperation agreement signed in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/International-Relations/orgints/sesame.html |title=SESAME |website=International Relations |publisher=CERN |date=17 October 2011 |access-date=4 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701224730/https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/International-Relations/orgints/sesame.html |archive-date=1 July 2012}}</ref>
* Kazakhstan – June 2018
* Lebanon – 2015
* Malta – 10 January 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cds.cern.ch/journal/CERNBulletin/2008/06/News%20Articles/1083445 |title=Prime Minister of Malta visits CERN |publisher=CERN |date=10 January 2008 |access-date=23 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080111/local/malta-signs-agreement-with-cern.191318 |title=Malta signs agreement with CERN |newspaper=The Times|location=Malta |date=11 January 2008 |access-date=23 May 2014}}</ref>
* Mexico – 20 February 1998
* Mongolia – 2014
* Montenegro – 12 October 1990
* Morocco – 14 April 1997
* Nepal – 19 September 2017
* New Zealand – 4 December 2003
* North Macedonia – 27 April 2009
* Palestine – December 2015
* Paraguay – January 2019
* Peru – 23 February 1993
* Philippines – 2018
* Qatar – 2016
* Republic of Korea (South Korea) – 25 October 2006
* Saudi Arabia – 2006
* South Africa – 4 July 1992
* Sri Lanka – February 2017
* Thailand – 2018
* Tunisia – May 2014
* United Arab Emirates – 2006
* Vietnam – 2008
}}

CERN also has scientific contacts with the following other countries and regions:<ref name="member-states"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Associate & Non-Member State Relations {{!}} International Relations |url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/stakeholder-relations/Associate-Non-Member-State-Relations |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=international-relations.web.cern.ch}}</ref>

{{columns-list|* Bahrain
* Cuba
* Ghana
* Honduras
* Hong Kong
* Indonesia
* Kuwait
* Luxemburg
* Madagascar
* Malaysia
* Mauritius
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Oman
* Rwanda
* Singapore
* Sudan
* Taiwan
* Tanzania
* Uzbekistan
* Zambia
}}

International research institutions, such as CERN, can aid in science diplomacy.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Quevedo|first=Fernando|title=The Importance of International Research Institutions for Science Diplomacy|journal=Science & Diplomacy|date=July 2013|volume=2|issue=3|url=https://www.sciencediplomacy.org/perspective/2013/importance-international-research-institutions-for-science-diplomacy}}</ref>

=== Associated institutions ===
[[File:ESO and CERN sign cooperation agreement.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|right|[[ESO]] and CERN have a cooperation agreement.<ref name="ESO-201310">{{cite web|title=ESO and CERN Sign Cooperation Agreement|url=https://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann15098/|access-date=21 December 2015}}</ref>]]
A large number of institutes around the world are [[:Category:Institutes associated with CERN|associated to CERN]] through current collaboration agreements and/or historical links.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The CERN Experimental Programme: Greybook|url=https://greybook.cern.ch/country/list|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-02|website=greybook.cern.ch|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102122354/https://greybook.cern.ch/country/list |archive-date=2 November 2021 }}</ref> The list below contains organizations represented as observers to the CERN Council, organizations to which CERN is an observer and organizations based on the CERN model:
* [[European Molecular Biology Laboratory]], organization based on the CERN model<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-04-13 |title=EMBL History – EMBL |url=http://www.embl.de/aboutus/general_information/history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125139/http://www.embl.de/aboutus/general_information/history/ |archive-date=13 April 2014 |access-date=2021-11-02}}</ref>
* [[European Space Research Organisation]] (since 1975 [[European Space Agency|ESA]]), organization based on the CERN model<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Bonnet|first1=Roger-M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=shvdfRZ6nZ8C&pg=58|title=International Cooperation in Space: The Example of the European Space Agency|last2=Manno|first2=Vittorio|publisher=Harvard University Press|year=1994|isbn=978-0-674-45835-2|pages=58–59|language=en}}</ref>
* [[European Southern Observatory]], organization based on the CERN model.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Blaauw|first=Adriaan|url=https://www.eso.org/public/products/books/book_0044/|title=ESO's Early History: The European Southern Observatory from Concept to Reality|publisher=ESO|year=1991|isbn=978-3-923524-40-2|page=8|language=en}}</ref>Also, the two organisations share a pension fund<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} CERN Pension Fund |url=https://pensionfund.cern.ch/en |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=pensionfund.cern.ch}}</ref> for their employees.
* [[Joint Institute for Nuclear Research|JINR]], observer to CERN Council,<ref>{{Cite web|title=JINR {{!}} International Relations|url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/stakeholder-relations/states/jinr|access-date=2021-11-02|website=international-relations.web.cern.ch}}</ref> CERN is represented in the JINR Council.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Governing and Advisory Bodies of JINR|url=http://www.jinr.ru/jinr_structure-en/realisators-en/|access-date=2021-11-02|website=Joint Institute for Nuclear Research|language=en-US}}</ref> JINR is currently suspended, due to the CERN Council Resolution of 25 March 2022.<ref name="member-states" />
* [[Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East|SESAME]], CERN is an observer to the SESAME Council<ref>{{Cite web|title=Members and observers of SESAME {{!}} SESAME {{!}} Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East|url=https://www.sesame.org.jo/about-us/members-sesame|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-02|website=www.sesame.org.jo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201230148/https://www.sesame.org.jo/about-us/members-sesame |archive-date=1 February 2020 }}</ref>
* [[UNESCO]], observer to CERN Council<ref>{{Cite web|title=UNESCO {{!}} International Relations|url=https://international-relations.web.cern.ch/stakeholder-relations/states/unesco|access-date=2021-11-02|website=international-relations.web.cern.ch}}</ref>
{{clear}}

== .cern ==
{{Infobox Top level domain
|name=.cern
|image=
|type=Generic top-level domain
|introduced={{start date and age|2014|08|13}}
|status=Active
|registry=[[Internet Assigned Numbers Authority|IANA]]
|intendeduse=Domains related to the [[European Organization for Nuclear Research]]
|actualuse=Domains related to the [[European Organization for Nuclear Research]]
|restrictions=Domain registrations only possible by CERN
}}

'''.cern''' is a [[top-level domain]] for CERN.<ref>{{Cite web |title=.cern – ICANNWiki |url=https://icannwiki.org/.cern |access-date=2021-04-07 |website=icannwiki.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=About .cern|url=https://nic.cern/|access-date=2021-04-07|website=nic.cern}}</ref> It was registered on 13 August 2014.<ref name="IANA">{{cite web |title=.cern Domain Delegation Data |url=https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/cern.html |website=IANA |publisher=Internet Assigned Numbers Authority |access-date=19 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://nic.cern/registration-policy/
 |title = .cern registration policy |publisher = CERN  |access-date = 19 September 2019}}</ref> On 20 October 2015, CERN moved its main website to https://home.cern.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Alvarez |first1=E. |last2=de Molina |first2=M. Malo |last3=Salwerowicz |first3=M. |last4=De Sousa |first4=B. Silva |last5=Smith |first5=T. |last6=Wagner |first6=A. |year=2017 |title=First experience with the new .cern Top Level Domain |journal=Journal of Physics: Conference Series |volume=898 |issue=10 |article-number=102012 |bibcode=2017JPhCS.898j2012A |doi=10.1088/1742-6596/898/10/102012 |issn=1742-6588 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Birthplace of the World Wide Web CERN Launches home.cern|url=https://www.circleid.com/posts/20160111_birthplace_of_the_world_wide_web_cern_launches_homecern/|access-date=2021-04-07|website=www.circleid.com|language=en}}</ref>

== Open science ==
The [[Open science|Open Science movement]] focuses on making scientific research openly accessible and on creating knowledge through open tools and processes. [[Open access]], [[open data]], [[Open-source software|open source software]] and [[Open-source hardware|hardware]], [[Open-source license|open licenses]], [[digital preservation]] and [[Reproducibility#Reproducible research|reproducible research]] are primary components of open science and areas in which CERN has been working towards since its formation.

CERN has developed policies and official documents that enable and promote open science, starting with CERN's founding convention in 1953 which indicated that all its results are to be published or made generally available.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Convention for the Establishment of a European Organization for Nuclear Research {{!}} CERN Council|url=https://council.web.cern.ch/en/convention|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218235743/https://council.web.cern.ch/en/convention|archive-date=18 February 2021|access-date=2021-02-08|website=council.web.cern.ch|at=Article II}}</ref> Since then, CERN published its open access policy in 2014,<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1955574 |title=Open Access Policy for CERN Publications |date=2021 |publisher=CERN |location=Geneva}}</ref> which ensures that all publications by CERN authors will be published with [[Gold OA|gold open access]] and most recently an open data policy that was endorsed by the four main LHC collaborations ([[ALICE experiment|ALICE]], [[ATLAS experiment|ATLAS]], [[Compact Muon Solenoid|CMS]] and [[LHCb experiment|LHCb]]).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2745133|title=CERN Open Data Policy for the LHC Experiments|date=2020|doi=10.17181/CERN.QXNK.8L2G |editor-last=CERN. Geneva |author1=CERN. Geneva }}</ref> 

The open data policy complements the open access policy, addressing the public release of scientific data collected by LHC experiments after a suitable embargo period. Prior to this open data policy, guidelines for data preservation, access and reuse were implemented by each collaboration individually through their own policies which are updated when necessary.<ref>{{Citation|last=ALICE Collaboration|title=ALICE data preservation strategy|date=2014|url=https://opendata.cern.ch/record/412|publisher=CERN Open Data Portal|doi=10.7483/opendata.alice.54ne.x2ea|access-date=2021-02-08}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=ATLAS Collaboration|title=ATLAS Data Access Policy|date=2014|url=https://opendata.cern.ch/record/413|publisher=CERN Open Data Portal|doi=10.7483/opendata.atlas.t9yr.y7mz|access-date=2021-02-08}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=CMS Collaboration|title=CMS data preservation, re-use and open access policy|date=2014|url=https://opendata.cern.ch/record/411|publisher=CERN Open Data Portal|doi=10.7483/opendata.cms.udbf.jkr9|access-date=2021-02-08}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=LHCb Collaboration|title=LHCb External Data Access Policy|date=2014|url=https://opendata.cern.ch/record/410|others=Peter Clarke|publisher=CERN Open Data Portal|doi=10.7483/opendata.lhcb.hkjw.twsz|access-date=2021-02-08}}</ref> 

The European Strategy for Particle Physics, a document mandated by the CERN Council that forms the cornerstone of Europe's decision-making for the future of particle physics, was last updated in 2020 and affirmed the organisation's role within the open science landscape by stating: "The particle physics community should work with the relevant authorities to help shape the emerging consensus on open science to be adopted for publicly-funded research, and should then implement a policy of open science for the field".<ref>{{Cite book|last=European Strategy Group|date=2020|title=2020 Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics|publisher=CERN Council|url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/2720129|language=en|doi=10.17181/ESU2020|isbn=978-92-9083-575-2}}</ref>

Beyond the policy level, CERN has established a variety of services and tools to enable and guide open science at CERN, and in particle physics more generally. On the publishing side, CERN has initiated and operates a global cooperative project, the [[Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics]], SCOAP3, to convert scientific articles in high-energy physics to open access. In 2018, the SCOAP3 partnership represented 3,000+ libraries from 44 countries and 3 intergovernmental organizations who have worked collectively to convert research articles in high-energy physics across 11 leading journals in the discipline to open access.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Loizides|first1=F.|url=https://ebooks.iospress.nl/book/positioning-and-power-in-academic-publishing-players-agents-and-agendas-proceedings-of-the-20th-international-conference-on-electronic-publishing|title=Positioning and Power in Academic Publishing: Players, Agents and Agendas: Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Electronic Publishing|last2=Smidt|first2=B.|date=2016|publisher=IOS Press|isbn=978-1-61499-649-1|page=9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Alexander Kohls|last2=Salvatore Mele|date=2018-04-09|title=Converting the Literature of a Scientific Field to Open Access through Global Collaboration: The Experience of SCOAP3 in Particle Physics|journal=Publications|language=en|volume=6|issue=2|page=15|doi=10.3390/publications6020015|issn=2304-6775|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Public-facing results can be served by various CERN-based services depending on their use case: the [https://opendata.cern.ch/ CERN Open Data portal],<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cowton|first1=J|last2=Dallmeier-Tiessen|first2=S|last3=Fokianos|first3=P|last4=Rueda|first4=L|last5=Herterich|first5=P|last6=Kunčar|first6=J|last7=Šimko|first7=T|last8=Smith|first8=T|date=2015-12-23|title=Open Data and Data Analysis Preservation Services for LHC Experiments|journal=Journal of Physics: Conference Series|volume=664|issue=3|article-number=032030|doi=10.1088/1742-6596/664/3/032030|bibcode=2015JPhCS.664c2030C|s2cid=114252783|issn=1742-6588|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Zenodo]], the [https://cds.cern.ch/ CERN Document Server],<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Vesely|first1=Martin|last2=Baron|first2=Thomas|last3=Le Meur|first3=Jean-Yves|last4=Simko|first4=Tibor|year=2004|title=CERN document server: Document management system for grey literature in a networked environment|url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/BF02910863|journal=Publishing Research Quarterly|language=en|volume=20|issue=1|pages=77–83|doi=10.1007/BF02910863|s2cid=144064139|issn=1053-8801|via=}}</ref> [[INSPIRE-HEP|INSPIRE]] and [https://www.hepdata.net/ HEPData]<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Maguire|first1=Eamonn|last2=Heinrich|first2=Lukas|last3=Watt|first3=Graeme|year=2017|title=HEPData: a repository for high energy physics data|url=https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/898/10/102006|journal=Journal of Physics: Conference Series|volume=898|issue=10|article-number=102006|doi=10.1088/1742-6596/898/10/102006|arxiv=1704.05473|bibcode=2017JPhCS.898j2006M|s2cid=943291|issn=1742-6588|via=}}</ref> are the core services used by the researchers and community at CERN, as well as the wider high-energy physics community for the publication of their documents, data, software, multimedia, etc. CERN's efforts towards preservation and reproducible research are best represented by a suite of services addressing the entire physics analysis lifecycle, such as data, software and computing environment. [https://analysispreservation.cern.ch/ CERN Analysis Preservation]<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Fokianos|first1=Pamfilos|last2=Feger|first2=Sebastian|last3=Koutsakis|first3=Ilias|last4=Lavasa|first4=Artemis|last5=Maciulaitis|first5=Rokas|last6=Naim|first6=Kamran|last7=Okraska|first7=Jan|last8=Papadopoulos|first8=Antonios|last9=Rodríguez|first9=Diego|last10=Šimko|first10=Tibor|last11=Trzcinska|first11=Anna|date=2020|editor-last=Doglioni|editor-first=C.|editor2-last=Kim|editor2-first=D.|editor3-last=Stewart|editor3-first=G.A.|editor4-last=Silvestris|editor4-first=L.|editor5-last=Jackson|editor5-first=P.|editor6-last=Kamleh|editor6-first=W.|title=CERN Analysis Preservation and Reuse Framework: FAIR research data services for LHC experiments|journal=EPJ Web of Conferences|volume=245|page=06011|doi=10.1051/epjconf/202024506011|bibcode=2020EPJWC.24506011F|s2cid=229268573|issn=2100-014X|doi-access=free}}</ref> helps researchers to preserve and document the various components of their physics analyses. [https://reana.io/ REANA] (Reusable Analyses)<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Šimko|first1=Tibor|last2=Heinrich|first2=Lukas|last3=Hirvonsalo|first3=Harri|last4=Kousidis|first4=Dinos|last5=Rodríguez|first5=Diego|date=2019|editor-last=Forti|editor-first=A.|editor2-last=Betev|editor2-first=L.|editor3-last=Litmaath|editor3-first=M.|editor4-last=Smirnova|editor4-first=O.|editor5-last=Hristov|editor5-first=P.|title=REANA: A System for Reusable Research Data Analyses|journal=EPJ Web of Conferences|volume=214|page=06034|doi=10.1051/epjconf/201921406034|bibcode=2019EPJWC.21406034S|s2cid=187062028|issn=2100-014X|doi-access=free}}</ref> enables the instantiating of preserved research data analyses on the cloud.

All services are built using [[Open-source software|open source software]] and strive towards compliance with best effort principles, such as the [[FAIR data|FAIR principles]], the [[FORCE11|FORCE11 guidelines]] and [[Plan S]], while taking into account relevant activities carried out by the [[European Commission]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Open Science |url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/strategy/goals-research-and-innovation-policy/open-science_en |access-date=2021-02-08 |website=European Commission – European Commission |language=en}}</ref>

== Public exhibits ==
[[File:CERN Globe of Science and Innovation.jpg|thumb|right|[[The Globe of Science and Innovation]] at CERN]]

The CERN Science Gateway, opened in October 2023,<ref>{{cite web |title=CERN inaugurates Science Gateway, its new outreach centre for science education |url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/cern-inaugurates-science-gateway-its-new-outreach-centre-science-education |website=CERN |access-date=19 March 2024 |language=en |date=22 February 2024}}</ref> is CERN's latest facility for science outreach and education. It is home to a range of immersive exhibits, workshops, and shows.

[[The Globe of Science and Innovation]], which opened in late 2005, is open to the public. It is used four times a week for special exhibits.

The [[Microcosm (CERN)|Microcosm museum]] previously hosted another on-site exhibition on [[particle physics]] and CERN history. It closed permanently on 18 September 2022, in preparation for the installation of the exhibitions in Science Gateway.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Microcosm to close permanently on 18 September |url=https://home.cern/news/announcement/cern/microcosm-close-permanently-18-september |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=CERN |language=en}}</ref>

CERN also provides daily tours to certain facilities such as the Synchro-cyclotron (CERNs first particle accelerator) and the superconducting magnet workshop.

In 2004, a two-metre statue of the [[Nataraja]], the dancing form of the Hindu god [[Shiva]], was unveiled at CERN. The statue, symbolizing Shiva's cosmic dance of creation and destruction, was presented by the [[Government of India|Indian government]] to celebrate the research center's long association with India.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/29122/3 |title=Faces and Places (page 3) |website=CERN Courier |access-date=2017-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180606115929/http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern/29122/3 |archive-date=6 June 2018 }}</ref> A special plaque next to the statue explains the metaphor of Shiva's cosmic dance with quotations from physicist [[Fritjof Capra]]:

<blockquote>Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes. In our time, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance. The metaphor of the cosmic dance thus unifies ancient mythology, religious art and modern physics.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fritjofcapra.net/shivas-cosmic-dance-at-cern/ |title=Shiva's Cosmic Dance at CERN {{!}} Fritjof Capra |website=fritjofcapra.net |access-date=2017-01-30}}</ref></blockquote>

== Arts at CERN ==
CERN launched its Cultural Policy for engaging with the arts in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CERN launches Cultural Policy |url=https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/cern-launches-cultural-policy |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=CERN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Røstvik |first=Camilla |url=https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/at-the-edge-of-their-universe-artists-scientists-and-outsiders-at |title=At the Edge of their Universe: Artists, Scientists and Outsiders at CERN |publisher=The University of Manchester |year=2016 |location=Manchester |pages=168–188 |language=English}}</ref> The initiative provided the essential framework and foundations for establishing [https://arts.cern/ Arts at CERN], the arts programme of the Laboratory.

Since 2012, Arts at CERN has fostered creative dialogue between art and physics through residencies, art commissions, exhibitions and events. Artists across all creative disciplines have been invited to CERN to experience how fundamental science pursues the big questions about our universe.

Even before the arts programme officially started, several highly regarded artists visited the laboratory, drawn to physics and fundamental science. In 1972, [[James Lee Byars]] was the first artist to visit the laboratory and the only one, so far, to feature on the cover of the CERN Courier.<ref>{{Cite journal |year=1972 |title=Front cover: One of the visitors, James Lee Byars, who brought some colour into the CERN corridors during the summer. |url=https://cds.cern.ch/record/1729545 |journal=CERN Courier |volume=12 |issue=9}}</ref> [[Mariko Mori]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Art and sub-atomic particles to collide at CERN |url=https://www.today.com/news/art-sub-atomic-particles-collide-cern-wbna44018958 |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=TODAY.com |date=4 August 2011 |language=en}}</ref> {{ill|Gianni Motti|fr|Gianni Motti}},<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gianni Motti {{!}} "HIGGS, looking for the anti-Motti", CERN, Genève (2005) {{!}} Artsy |url=https://www.artsy.net/artwork/gianni-motti-higgs-looking-for-the-anti-motti-cern-geneve-1 |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=www.artsy.net |language=en |archive-date=6 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406001556/https://www.artsy.net/artwork/gianni-motti-higgs-looking-for-the-anti-motti-cern-geneve-1 }}</ref> [[Cerith Wyn Evans]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wyn Evans |first=Cerith |title=Cerith Wyn Evans: the what if? ... scenario (after LG) |date=2013 |publisher=Sternberg Press |others=Eva Wilson, Daniela Zyman, Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary |isbn=978-3-943365-88-7 |location=Berlin |oclc=876051101}}</ref> [[John Berger]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=White |first=Jerry |date=2017 |title=John Berger of the Haute-Savoie |journal=Film Quarterly |volume=70 |issue=4 |pages=93–98 |doi=10.1525/fq.2017.70.4.93 |jstor=26413815 |issn=0015-1386}}</ref> and [[Anselm Kiefer]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anselm Kiefer Meets Science At Cern's Monumental Hadron Collider |url=https://artlyst.com/news/anselm-kiefer-meets-science-at-cerns-monumental-hadron-collider/ |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Artlyst |language=en-GB}}</ref> are among the artists who came to CERN in the years that followed.

The programmes of Arts at CERN are structured according to their values and vision to create bridges between cultures. Each programme is designed and formed in collaboration with cultural institutions, other partner laboratories, countries, cities and artistic communities eager to connect with CERN's research, support their activities, and contribute to a global network of art and science.

They comprise research-led artistic residencies that take place on-site or remotely. More than 200 artists from 80 countries have participated in the residencies to expand their creative practices at the Laboratory, benefiting from the involvement of 400 physicists, engineers and CERN staff. Between 500 and 800 applications are received every year. The programmes comprise Collide, the international residency programme organised in partnership with a city; Connect, a programme of residencies to foster experimentation in art and science at CERN and in scientific organisations worldwide in collaboration with [[Pro Helvetia]], and Guest Artists, a short stay for artists to stay to engage with CERN's research and community.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Koek |first=Ariane |date=2017-10-02 |title=In/visible: the inside story of the making of Arts at CERN |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03080188.2017.1381225 |journal=Interdisciplinary Science Reviews |language=en |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages=345–358 |doi=10.1080/03080188.2017.1381225 |bibcode=2017ISRv...42..345K |s2cid=148690179 |issn=0308-0188|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Bello |first=Mónica |title=Field Experiences: Fundamental Science and Research in the Arts |date=2019 |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-27577-8_13 |work=On Art and Science |series=The Frontiers Collection |pages=203–221 |editor-last=Wuppuluri |editor-first=Shyam |access-date=2023-04-06 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-27577-8_13 |isbn=978-3-030-27576-1 |s2cid=210535074 |editor2-last=Wu |editor2-first=Dali|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
[[File:Shiva's statue at CERN engaging in the Nataraja dance.jpg|thumb|The statue of [[Shiva]] engaging in the [[Nataraja]] dance (symbolising his cosmic dance of creation and destruction) presented by the [[Department of Atomic Energy]] of India]]
[[File:CERN Tram, line number 18.jpg|thumb|Geneva tram 18 at CERN]]
* The band [[Les Horribles Cernettes]] was founded by women from CERN. The name was chosen so to have the same initials as the LHC.<ref name="CernettesNYT">{{cite news |author=Brown |first=Malcolm W. |date=29 December 1998 |title=Physicists Discover Another Unifying Force: Doo-Wop |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://musiclub.web.cern.ch/MusiClub/bands/cernettes/Press/NYT.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=21 September 2010 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://musiclub.web.cern.ch/MusiClub/bands/cernettes/Press/NYT.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09}}</ref><ref name="CernettesWired">{{cite news |author=McCabe |first=Heather |date=10 February 1999 |title=Grrl Geeks Rock Out |work=[[Wired News]] |url=https://musiclub.web.cern.ch/MusiClub/bands/cernettes/Press/Wired.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=21 September 2010 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://musiclub.web.cern.ch/MusiClub/bands/cernettes/Press/Wired.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09}}</ref>
* The science journalist [[Katherine McAlpine]] made a [[Hip hop music|rap]] video called "Large Hadron Rap" about CERN's Large Hadron Collider with some of the facility's staff.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM |title=Large Hadron Rap |date=28 July 2008 |via=YouTube |access-date=20 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=National Geographic |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=National Geographic |language=en}}</ref>
* ''[[Particle Fever]]'', a 2013 documentary, explores CERN throughout the inside and depicts the events surrounding the 2012 discovery of the [[Higgs Boson]].
* [[John Titor]], a self-proclaimed [[time travel]]er, alleged that CERN would invent time travel in 2001.<ref>{{Cite news |title=John Titor |url=https://timetravelinstitute.com/enigmas/john-titor.1/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217231646/https://timetravelinstitute.com/enigmas/john-titor.1/ |archive-date=2023-12-17 |access-date=2025-11-19 |work=Time Travel Institute |language=en-US}}</ref>
* In [[Robert J. Sawyer]]'s 1999 science fiction novel ''[[Flashforward (novel)|Flashforward]]'', as CERN's Large Hadron Collider accelerator is performing a run to search for the Higgs boson the entire human race sees themselves twenty-one years and six months in the future.
* A number of [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]] feature CERN, accusing the organization of partaking in [[CERN ritual hoax|occult rituals]] and secret experiments involving opening [[wormhole|portals]] into [[Hell]] or other [[dimension]]s, shifting the world into an [[Alternative history|alternative timeline]] and [[List of conspiracy theories#Weather and earthquake control projects|causing earthquakes]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/aug/18/fake-human-sacrifice-filmed-at-cern-with-pranking-scientists-suspected|title=Fake human sacrifice filmed at Cern, with pranking scientists suspected|author=Staff and agencies in Geneva|date=2016-08-17|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=2023-02-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Diana|last=Brown|title=Why Conspiracy Theorists Are Obsessed With CERN|date=13 February 2018 |url=https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/why-conspiracy-theorists-are-obsessed-with-cern.htm|publisher=[[HowStuffWorks]]|access-date=2023-02-19}}</ref>
* In [[Dan Brown]]'s 2000 mystery-thriller novel ''[[Angels & Demons]]'' and 2009 film [[Angels & Demons (film)|of the same name]], a canister of antimatter is stolen from CERN.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://angelsanddemons.web.cern.ch/|title=Angels and Demons – the science behind the story|publisher=CERN|access-date=29 July 2017}}</ref>
* CERN is depicted in a 2009 episode of ''[[South Park]]'' (Season 13, Episode 6), "[[Pinewood Derby (South Park)|Pinewood Derby]]". Randy Marsh, the father of one of the main characters, breaks into the "Hadron Particle Super Collider in Switzerland" and steals a "superconducting bending magnet created for use in tests with particle acceleration" to use in his son Stan's Pinewood Derby racer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://southpark.cc.com/episodes/oki0th/south-park-pinewood-derby-season-13-ep-6 |title=Southparkstudios.com |date=15 April 2009 |publisher=South Park Studios |access-date=25 May 2011}}</ref>
* In the 2010 season 3 episode 15 of the TV situation comedy ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'', "The Large Hadron Collision", [[Leonard Hofstadter|Leonard]] and [[Raj Koothrappali|Raj]] travel to CERN to attend a conference and see the LHC.
* The 2012 student film ''[[Decay (2012 film)|Decay]]'', which centres on the idea of the Large Hadron Collider transforming people into zombies, was filmed on location in CERN's maintenance tunnels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-10/physics-students-film-zombie-movie-large-hadron-collider|title=Large Hadron Collider Unleashes Rampaging Zombies|last=Boyle|first=Rebecca|date=31 October 2012|access-date=22 November 2012}}</ref>
* The Compact Muon Solenoid at CERN was used as the basis for the [[Megadeth]]'s [[Super Collider (album)|''Super Collider'']] album cover.
* CERN forms part of the [[back story]] of the [[massively multiplayer online role playing game|massively multiplayer]] [[augmented reality]] game ''[[Ingress (video game)|Ingress]]'',<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Andersen |first=Michael |title=Google's Ingress Takes Mobile Gaming to the Streets |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2014/01/a-year-of-google-ingress/ |access-date=2023-09-28 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> and in the 2018 Japanese anime television series ''[[Ingress: The Animation]]'', based on Niantic's augmented reality mobile game of the same name.
* In 2015, Sarah Charley, US communications manager for LHC experiments at CERN with graduate students Jesse Heilman of the [[University of California, Riverside]], and Tom Perry and Laser Seymour Kaplan of the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison|University of Wisconsin, Madison]] created a parody video based on "[[Collide (Howie Day song)|Collide]]", a song by American artist [[Howie Day]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/musician-howie-day-records-love-song-physics|title=Musician Howie Day records love song to physics {{!}} CERN|website=home.cern|language=en|access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref> The lyrics were changed to be from the perspective of a proton in the Large Hadron Collider. After seeing the parody, Day re-recorded the song with the new lyrics, and released a new version of "Collide" in February 2017 with a video created during his visit to CERN.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/howie-day-records-love-song-to-physics|title=Howie Day records love song to physics|work=symmetry magazine|access-date=26 November 2018|language=en}}</ref>
* In 2015, [[Ryoji Ikeda]] created an art installation called "Supersymmetry" based on his experience as a resident artist at CERN.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02rqdj4|title=The art lightshow inspired by Cern|date=2015-05-19}}</ref>
* In the 2017 season 10 episode 6 of the British science fiction ''[[Doctor Who]]'', "Extremis", CERN is one of several locations found to be connected by a hub of mysterious portals.
* The television series ''[[Mr. Robot]]'' features a secretive, underground project apparatus that resembles the [[ATLAS experiment]].
* ''[[Parallels (TV series)|Parallels]]'', a [[Disney+]] television series released in March 2022, includes a particle-physics laboratory at the French-Swiss border called "ERN". Various accelerators and facilities at CERN are referenced during the show, including ATLAS, CMS, the Antiproton Decelerator, and the FCC.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-06 |title=Parallels |url=https://cerncourier.com/a/parallels/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=CERN Courier |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-14 |title=French Fantasy Sci-Fi Series 'Parallels' Official Trailer from Disney {{!}} FirstShowing.net |url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2022/french-fantasy-sci-fi-series-parallels-official-trailer-from-disney/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=www.firstshowing.net |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Parallèles |date=2022-03-23 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8590080/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |publisher=IMDb}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[CERN openlab]]
* [[Scientific Linux]], CERN operating system
* [[List of directors general of CERN]]


'''International:'''
* [[Fermilab]], Illinois
* [[Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment]], South Dakota
* [[Hyper-Kamiokande]], neutrino detection experiment, Japan
* [[Science and Technology Facilities Council]], UK
* [[Joint Institute for Nuclear Research]], Russia
* [[SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory]], California

'''General:'''
* [[Science and technology in Switzerland]]
* [[Science diplomacy]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}
* {{Official website|https://home.cern/}}
* [https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2004/03/25/the-emerald-city "The emerald city – CERN at 50"] by ''The Economist''
* [https://cerncourier.com/ ''CERN Courier'' – International journal of high-energy physics]
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00d9b4b ''Big Bang Day: The Making of CERN''], September 2008, a BBC Radio program

=== Archival collections ===
* [https://libserv.aip.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1F80J0S375478.2189&profile=rev-icos&source=~!horizon&view=subscriptionsummary&uri=full=3100006~!3919~!0&ri=9&aspect=power&menu=search&ipp=20&spp=20&staffonly=&term=EUROPEAN+ORGANIZATION+FOR+NUCLEAR+RESEARCH+(CERN)+REPORTS,+1952-1993.&index=.GW&uindex=&aspect=power&menu=search&ri=9&limitbox_1=LO01+=+icos CERN reports, 1952–1993, Niels Bohr Library & Archives]

{{CERN}}
{{Research institutes in Switzerland}}
{{Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research}}
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[[Category:CERN| ]]
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[[Category:Nuclear research institutes]]
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[[Category:Physics research institutes]]
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