From the particle physics show to the science slam and the big birthday party at the end of the week - there was something for everyone in the varied program.
The celebrations kicked off in Bonn on September 14 and 15 with two performances of the Bonn Physics Show. This time, the physics show took its audience on an exciting journey through the history of particle physics. In this unique play, the protagonists experienced important discoveries in physics, from Rutherford's atomic nucleus to the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN. The interactive and entertaining shows captivated more than 300 spectators each.
On Monday, 16 September, the Science Slam “Particle Poetry” organized by the student council happened. Scientists presented complex topics of modern research creatively and humorously. For example, the immense amount of data produced daily at CERN was illustrated by the number of Lord of the Rings trilogies that could be stored in the required storage space.
At the end of the week, the Research and Technology Center for Detector Physics opened its doors on Friday, September 20, from 4 pm. In a relaxed atmosphere, interested visitors were able to view a poster exhibition on the topic of CERN and explore some of the open laboratories. With the motto “Meet the Scientists”, the institute's researchers were always available to answer visitors' questions. During a total of four guided tours, guests also had the opportunity to visit the clean rooms, the deep laboratory, the workshop and, as a special highlight, the ELSA particle accelerator. In addition to the poster exhibition, there was also a digital exhibition in which visitors could learn more about particle physics at various stations using augmented reality.
The symposium “Rhine to Geneva” began at 6 pm, at which three professors were invited to talk about CERN from their respective specialist perspectives. Prof. Dr. Klaus Desch talked about the history, achievements and future of the famous research institute. Prof. Dr. Manuel Drees spoke about the conditions at the beginning of the universe and whether these conditions can actually be reconstructed at CERN. Finally, Prof. Dr. Ingrid Gregor gave a lecture on the technology behind the large machines that are capable of detecting particles.
Of course, a birthday party also includes a cake. After the symposium, there were four cakes, each representing one of the big four experiments at CERN, and champagne to toast. We would like to thank all visitors for coming!
