CERN (The European Center for Nuclear Research) is the world's largest particle physics research center. Here, scientists use giant machines -- particle accelerators and detectors -- to study the smallest objects in the universe. CERN's large accelerator rings reside 100 meters (320 feet) underground, beneath vineyards and pastureland along the French/Swiss border. They are elegant and vital tools for researchers pursuing questions about the origins of matter and the universe.

Located just outside Geneva, CERN is its own sort of United Nations of the scientific world. There are 6500 scientists here from 80 countries, making CERN a marvel of international scientific cooperation. It also harbors its own distinct culture, evidenced by the bike racks, chalk boards and lab benches. Science is the common goal bringing these thousands of people together in a facility uniquely designed to accommodate them.

See a map of the CERN complex