Interactions between fundamental particles of matter and force gave rise to our universe and will determine its ultimate fate. Exploring these interactions not only deepens our understanding of the world we live in and the universe around us, but can also lead to new and unexpected technological breakthroughs.
For example, the discoveries of the electron and quantum mechanics made possible the inventions of the transistor, the computer and the World Wide Web. The invention of the cyclotron by Berkeley Lab founder Ernest Lawrence paved the way for modern high energy physics research. In keeping with that trailblazing tradition, Berkeley Lab researchers today are leading investigations into “dark energy,” a mysterious force that accelerates the rate at which our universe is expanding. Lab researchers are also at the forefront of neutrino studies. Neutrinos, the phantomlike subatomic particles that fill the cosmos and pass through our planet unnoticed, played a profound role in shaping the universe and are part of the international scientific effort to discover the origins of mass.
Major programs that include Berkeley Lab researchers are the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Lab, IceCube, and the Large Hadron Collider.
