CERN

By Rebecca Hernandez

Judging from the giddy expressions of the people on their website, CERN must be like heaven for physics-minded geeks. CERN (which stands for Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire), otherwise known as the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is the place where you will find the world’s largest particle accelerator.

Half of the world’s particle physicists perform their research at CERN as visiting scientists. The scientist who is credited with inventing the World Wide Web worked at CERN. Proton synchotrons, electron-positron colliders, quarks, leptons, muon neutrinos… this place takes geekiness to a whole new level.

So you’ll be happy to find out that CERN not only has a hands-on science exhibit called Microcosm, but you can make a reservation to visit the facility on a half day tour, where you will either visit the Large Hadron Collider (which is under construction), the Antimatter Factory (a particle deccelerator), or the Proton Synchotron (a particle accelerator).

The location isn’t bad either, just northwest of Geneva on the French-Swiss border. A definite must-see if you consider yourself a hardcore scien-tourist.

Time required: a day, if you string it out.

Money: ££

More information: Slightly frightening CERN website

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