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Particle AcceleratorsParticle accelerators are machines that accelerate and steer beams of charged particles, such as electrons, into collisions with one another or with another target. More than 30,000 exist worldwide, with most used to sterilize medical equipment, produce radiopharmaceuticals for cancer therapy, and detect chemical contaminants.
Based on the path taken by particles, they are categorized as either linear accelerators (linacs) or circular accelerators. Both types include four key components: a source that produces charged particles, electric fields to accelerate them, magnetic fields to steer and focus them, and a vacuum within which they can travel unobstructed to their target.
Particle accelerators are sometimes referred to as "atom smashers" because the first generation of these devices used atoms as collision targets rather than subatomic particles. Today, the largest accelerators most often use protons to probe subatomic structures and the origins of the universe by reaching temperatures in the trillions and accelerating matter up to 99.9999991% the speed of light.Explore Particle Accelerators
What we've found
Particle accelerators have been used to reveal detailed ant anatomyUsing a synchrotron facility at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, a pair of X-ray beams swept across about 2,200 ant specimens to create over 200 terabytes of projection images from multiple angles. The images were compiled into micrometer-resolution 3D reconstructions of 792 species, which are freely accessible on the Antscan platform. IEEE SpectrumIt may be possible to create dark matter in particle acceleratorsIn high-energy collisions, exotic forms of matter can be produced by directly converting energy into mass according to *E = mc*². Even though a dark matter particle would not be directly observable, its creation would result in unaccounted-for mass, which can be compared to potential dark matter candidates for indirect detection. TED-EdRoom-Sized Particle Accelerators Are Here IEEE SpectrumCollisions between cosmic rays and atmospheric particles dwarf particle acceleratorsAccording to Einstein's model of gravity, confining immense energy into a sufficiently small region would warp space-time enough to create a black hole. If accelerators actually did create black holes, then trillions more would be produced daily in the atmosphere, where collisions are millions of times more energetic. Einstein OnlineParticle accelerators detect subatomic particles using millions of sensorsCalorimeters measure the energy of particles. Tracking devices can measure momentum and charge from the trajectory of particles, which is determined by recording tiny electrical signals. Time-of-flight detectors provide particle velocities directly and particle mass indirectly, giving physicists a suite of properties to compare with those of known matter. CERNMore than 97% of the world's particle accelerators are used for commercial purposesOnly a few hundred of the over 30,000 particle accelerators worldwide are used for research. Most are involved in medical imaging and treatment, food sterilization, semiconductor processing, cargo screening, and radioisotope production. They're also used to modify the properties of polymers. SeekerExplore five of the largest particle accelerators on EarthUnlike traditional linear accelerators, the CBETA energy recovery linac reduces waste by capturing and recycling residual energy from the acceleration of electrons. The SuperKEKB collides electrons and positrons—the antimatter version of electrons—to search for abnormal physics beyond the standard model. DiscoveryParticle accelerators allow physicists to create controlled nuclear experimentsBefore the 1930s, scientists relied on naturally radioactive substances to learn about atomic nuclei. The first atom was split in 1932 when John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton fired a beam of accelerated protons at a lithium atom, producing alpha radiation. KnowableParticle accelerators propel matter toward small targets at high speedDevices like cathode-ray tube televisions were once basic particle accelerators, but modern ones, such as the Large Hadron Collider, use massive magnetic fields and circular tunnels to achieve energies high enough to recreate the conditions just after the big bang. Space.comView the winners of the 2025 Global Physics Photowalk contestParticipants were asked to submit entries showcasing particle physics labs from around the world, including particle accelerators, neutrino detectors, and superconducting experiments. The winning photograph was taken at the CryOgenic Laboratory for Detectors, where scientists hunt for dark matter after cooling materials to a few thousandths of a degree above absolute zero. Quanta MagazineExplore human anatomy with these beautiful imagesThe Human Organ Atlas offers detailed 3D images of dozens of human organs. It was created with very bright X-rays from a particle accelerator, which is formally called a synchroton imaging method. Human Organ AtlasEarth's smooth, continuous motion as it orbits the sun prevents detectable motionAlthough humans are sensitive to acceleration, Earth's nearly circular orbit around the sun and its slow spin relative to its size produce negligibly small, minimally changing accelerations. However, the changing seasons and the day-night cycle are evidence of Earth's movement through space, as verified by satellites and telescopes. The ConversationLichtenberg figures capture lightning-like patterns within insulatorsWhen high-energy electrons from particle accelerators are fired into materials like acrylic, they form a charged plane before discharging into scarred patterns within the material. By evenly charging a cylindrical bottle through rotation during the irradiation process, a 3D figure of lightning in a bottle can be created. Electron ImpressionsA particle accelerator allowed researchers to noninvasively examine a mummyThe mummy hailed from the Faiyum oasis, where Egyptian and Roman cultures intersected, and was analyzed using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. The device used high-energy X-rays to probe the material composition of numerous objects embedded deep inside the mummy without damaging its remains. PBS NewsExplore the components of the linear particle accelerator at Los AlamosLocated at the site of bomb design and development for the Manhattan Project, LANSCE features an injector system for hydrogen ions, a series of tanks with alternating electric fields for proton acceleration, and an isotope production facility that creates radioisotopes for medical treatments. Los Alamos National LabSupercollider particles lag behind light by just 10 feet after 14 minutes of travelThe circular shape of the Large Hadron Collider allows particles to be repeatedly accelerated and redirected via electromagnetic fields rather than building equivalent energy in a linear chamber hundreds of miles long. The latter would require 5 trillion D batteries to achieve equivalent near-light speeds. TED-EdParticle beams can be used to alter the surface properties of artificial jointsSurface hardening and embedding specific elements or coatings can improve the biocompatibility and bone tissue integration of these implants. Particle accelerators are significant sources of the radioisotopes needed in medical diagnostics, and microwave linear accelerators are used in the majority of cancer irradiation treatments. US Department of EnergyAs of 2023, the world's smallest particle accelerator is smaller than a pennyThe prototype is an example of a photonic accelerator, which utilizes tiny lasers to accelerate electrons rather than relying on oscillating electromagnetic fields to move them. It can deliver about 1 electron per second with energies equivalent to those found in cathode-ray tube televisions. Popular ScienceThe Louvre in Paris has its own particle accelerator for art analysisThe Accélérateur Grand Louvre d'analyse élémentaire serves as a noninvasive tool for identifying and quantifying trace elements present in artworks by analyzing how particles backscatter off targets. This information can help detect forgeries and determine a piece's provenance. (Some readers may experience a paywall.) ACSThe first circular particle accelerator was narrower than the average cereal bowlThe 1939 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to Ernest Lawrence for inventing the cyclotron. By comparison, the Large Hadron Collider is 5 miles in diameter and is the largest cryogenic system in the world, cooling its electromagnets to temperatures colder than those found in outer space. Symmetry MagazineA 36-year-old Russian physicist survived a particle accelerator beam to the headSeveral safety mechanisms failed during Anatoli Bugorski's inspection of malfunctioning equipment at the U-70 synchrotron, the Soviet Union's largest particle accelerator. Despite receiving as much as 600 times the lethal dose of radiation to the brain, he has shown no intellectual damage and worked until the age of 77. Kyle HillIn 1971, a $35 ferret helped clean the Fermi National Accelerator LaboratoryLacking cleaning robots, Fermilab scientists purchased a ferret named Felicia when metal slivers obstructing accelerated particles were identified. They trained her to run strings through vacuum tubes more than 90 meters long, and cleanser-dipped swabs were then tied to the strings and pulled through to remove the debris. Atlas ObscuraPlay an incremental game that teaches the history of particle physicsDeveloped during the CERN Summer Student Webfest 2014, this game tasks you with building the reputation of your particle accelerator as you discover particles and hire staff to collect data. A historical breakdown accompanies each discovery, allowing you to recreate the timeline of the field. CERNParticle interactions follow rules related to specific quantum propertiesLike a business whose purchased inventory matches sold inventory, physicists identified specific patterns across decades of particle accelerator data, which became new conservation laws for elementary particles. These laws help identify which particle decays are expected or forbidden. For the Love of PhysicsThe most common type of particle accelerator is a linear electron acceleratorKnown as linacs, these devices fire particles in a straight line, making them useful for the intense, targeted beams needed in cancer treatment. Circular accelerators, such as synchrotrons and cyclotrons, can achieve extremely high particle speeds through repeated exposure to electromagnetic fields. Symmetry MagazineMathematics proves turbulence's chaos creates super diffusionTurbulent flow is responsible for the rapid scattering of dandelion seeds, volcanic ash, and untied balloons. Its swirling behavior accelerates particle scattering faster than other mixing methods, as particles acquire energy from the interactions of eddies. Quanta PodcastAs of 2025, CERN is the world's largest particle physics laboratoryFounded in 1954, the European Organization for Nuclear Research's laboratory is located near Geneva, Switzerland, and more than 10,000 scientists from more than 100 countries visit its facilities each year. Its largest tool is the Large Hadron Collider, a 27-kilometer-long tunnel that accelerates protons to near the speed of light. CERN
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