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Report by Wulfie (6.2)
Last weekend saw the most recent iteration of the annual trip to CERN, Geneva for 6.2 Physics and Chemistry students.
For the unfamiliar, CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire) is the undisputed capital of international physics. Here, over 12,000 scientists from more than 110 nations collaborate to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
Located on the Franco-Swiss border, CERN is home to the World’s largest and most complex scientific instruments.
Most famously the Large Hadron Collider, a huge ring buried 100 metres underground with a circumference of 27 kilometres. Within this tunnel, protons are accelerated to 99.9999991% of the speed of light before colliding, recreating the conditions of the universe as they were just a billionth of a second after the Big Bang to reveal the fundamental particles that make up our universe.
First, we visited CERN’s extensive data storage facilities, which was more interesting than it sounds.
The Data Centre serves as the 'brain' of the entire complex, acting as a massive filter to identify discoveries among 40 million collisions per second. Once captured, this data is distributed to a global network of laboratories for analysis and archived in high-tech libraries for future generations of scientists. CERN processes 230 petabytes of data every year. Next, we visited the Antimatter Laboratory. From the outside this looked like a standard industrial unit, the only clue to the cutting-edge research taking place inside was its modest ‘Antimatter Factory’ sign. However, on the inside it was a labyrinth of stainless-steel pipes, tangled superconducting cables and control terminals worthy of a James Bond film set. Passing through a biometrically secured radiation door, we saw the Antimatter Decelerator first hand, a massive ring of superconducting magnets in which antimatter, the rarest and most volatile substance in the universe, is captured and slowed, decelerating from 96% of the speed of light to 1.5% the speed of light, allowing scientists study the antimatter and its properties.
After a quick lunch, we watched a talk on how particle detectors work, assisted by a 6.2 student who bravely stepped up as a volunteer. We then explored the Visitor Centre, with its range of interactive exhibits on astronomy, particles, and quantum physics. A short tram journey took us back to Geneva city centre for some sightseeing. Here we met up with OB Erhan Salih Çeçen, visiting from university in Istanbul, who joined us for dinner at a small Italian restaurant. The day ended with a quiz from Alex Kerr on what we had learned at CERN.
On Sunday we swapped the frontier of physics for the history of science, with a visit to the Museum of Science History.
Housed in an elegant 19th century lakeside villa, the Museum contains fascinating displays including historical telescopes, illusions, and a larger exhibit about human biology. Outside, we discovered a playground roundabout where we had a bit too much fun ‘experimenting’ with the laws of circular motion and centripetal force. After crossing the Lake by water bus, we walked around the Old Town and visited St Pierre Cathedral. We climbed the bell tower’s 157 steps for a spectacular panoramic view across Lake Geneva, with its 140-metre-tall Jet d’Eau fountain, to the snow-covered Alps. The remainder of the afternoon was made up of free time in which we found an ice rink, giant chess, and explored the city centre.
Our final day in Geneva marked a shift from particles to politics, with a trip to the Palace of Nations, the United Nations’ European headquarters.
After navigating extensive security checks, we embarked on a guided tour of the massive complex. The highlight was visiting the main assembly hall, where we had the privilege of observing a live sitting of the UN Human Rights Council. We also learned about the incredible logistics of global diplomacy, specifically the simultaneous translation services, where interpreters work in real-time booths to translate complex legal and political arguments into the UN’s six official languages at the touch of a button.
The journey home was nearly derailed by huge security queues at Geneva airport for non-EU passport holders. Despite the plane’s departure time looming and most of us still stuck behind the barrier, there were enough of us to persuade the flight crew to delay the plane’s departure.
Finally, a massive thank you must go to Physics teacher Allen Shone and Deputy Head Alex Kerr for making this incredible journey possible.
From the laboratories of CERN to the Cathedral bell tower, their enthusiasm and organisational skills made this a hugely enjoyable and informative experience. We return to our 6.2 Physics and Chemistry studies tired but inspired.
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