Fermilab's Science

The U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory conducts research in high-energy physics, probing the smallest constituents of matter using the world's highest energy particle accelerator. By accelerating particles and smashing them into other particles or targets made of various metals, Fermilab's scientists and students can better understand the building blocks of nature.

When the particles stream around the four-mile ring and slam into other particles, Fermilab is conducting collider physics. When the particles hit a stationary metal target, scientists are pursuing fixed-target physics. The Laboratory will soon complete its latest fixed-target run. Meanwhile, collaborators on CDF and DZero, the two collider detectors, are busy upgrading their physics tools for the next collider run, which is scheduled to begin in 1999. That collider run will be the first to use the Main Injector, Fermilab's newest accelerator, which is now being built. The Main Injector will allow scientists to observe more particle collisions, enhancing Fermilab's research capabilities.

Scientists at Fermilab conduct basic research, developing and using cutting-edge technology to delve into the subatomic world. Superconducting magnets, unique computing techniques and programming, cryogenics development and microelectronics are just some of the advanced technologies that Fermilab has pushed to new levels.

FERMILAB: A TRUE MELTING POT

More than 2,300 scientists-known at Fermilab as "users"-from nearly 200 institutions use Fermilab's facilities to conduct high-energy physics research and expand the world's knowledge of the fundamental constituents of nature. Scientists come to Fermilab from nearly 100 universities and institutions in 36 states and 86 institutions in 20 foreign countries.