A Year Dedicated to Quantum Exploration

As the United Nations has proclaimed 2025 as the “International Year of Quantum Science and Technology” (AIQ), the world turns its attention to the groundbreaking research being conducted at institutions like CERN. This year follows the 70th anniversary of CERN and the 60th anniversary of John Bell’s pivotal work on quantum entanglement and the EPR effect, research that was notably conducted at CERN itself. The year was inaugurated at UNESCO with the participation of four Nobel laureates in Physics, including Alain Aspect, who recently co-authored a book detailing his experiments validating Bell’s theories.

The Unsung Heroes of particle Acceleration

The journey to understanding the quantum world has been paved by numerous pioneers. The 1920s marked the genesis of particle accelerator technology, essential for probing the depths of nuclei and elementary particles. Among these visionaries was Gustaf Adolf ising, a Swedish metrologist, geophysicist, and physicist, credited with inventing the linear accelerator concept in 1924. This concept was later realized by Norwegian physicist Rolf widerøe. Following them, John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton, along with ernest Lawrence, made significant contributions to accelerator technology, earning them Nobel Prizes in Physics.

Another notable figure is Leo szilard, a Hungarian physicist, biologist, and inventor, whose work is linked to the discovery of quarks and W, Z bosons at CERN. Szilard, alongside John von Neumann, was part of a group of Hungarian scientists known for their extraordinary intellect.

CERN: A Beacon of Science and Peace

szilard’s contributions extend beyond particle physics. He recognized the connection between thermodynamics and information theory and patented early concepts of the electron microscope and cyclotron. Collaborating with Einstein, he developed a novel refrigerator design and was among the first to recognize the potential of nuclear chain reactions for weaponry. this led him to alert Einstein, who then warned President Roosevelt about the potential for Nazi Germany to develop atomic weapons.

While the Manhattan Project was driven by wartime urgency, CERN’s mission is rooted in peace. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), CERN’s flagship accelerator, is poised to resume its search for new particles, including potential candidates for dark matter. Following a period of maintenance and upgrades, the LHC will once again collide proton beams, allowing scientists to analyze the resulting interactions.

CERN was born, invested with a double mission: to produce a science of excellence and to bring together nations.
CERN Press Release

Recreating the Big bang: Oxygen ions in the LHC

CERN’s accelerator complex involves a cascade of machines. Recent tests have seen protons accelerated through various stages, including the LINAC 4, Booster, PS, and SPS. The LHC is scheduled for initial testing in early April, followed by a six-week period to ramp up beam intensity and energy for physics experiments.

The LHC is also capable of colliding heavy ions to study the quark-gluon plasma (quagma), a state of matter believed to have existed shortly after the Big Bang and possibly found within neutron stars. In July 2025, the LHC will conduct its first-ever collisions of oxygen ions, offering new insights into this exotic state of matter. The ALICE detector will be instrumental in analyzing these collisions.

These experiments are crucial for understanding the fundamental building blocks of the universe and the conditions that prevailed in its earliest moments. As the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology unfolds,CERN’s contributions promise to be at the forefront of scientific discovery.