Particle Accelerators — Microscopes of Modern Physics

The fact that atom nuclei consist of nucleons, neutrons, and protons, and they, in turn, consist of quarks is one of the most remarkable discoveries of the past century. Together with electrons, quarks form the basis of the Universe, being elementary “bricks” which, in accordance with modern concepts, constitute matter.

It is not easy to investigate elementary particles. They cannot be seen with a microscope and stored for a long time… There is one way out of this situation, which is provided by the fact that high-energy interactions of stable particles result in the generation of new elementary structures whose properties can be investigated. A high level of the kinetic energy of particles is obtained in huge setups, accelerators, where particles are accelerated to a velocity close to the velocity of light.

More information on these and other subjects you can find in the printed version of our journal.