Categories

Photon Science

The nanocosmos in X-ray light

When doctors take an X-ray, they generate an image of the interior of the patient’s body, allowing them to determine, for example, whether a bone has been broken as a result of an accident. Scientists too benefit from the penetrating capability of X-rays. For example, when physicists X-ray nanomaterial samples, they see not only which types of atoms are present but also how the atoms are arranged. Chemists use X-rays to precisely analyse what happens during catalysis – a process of enormous economic importance. Biologists work with X-rays to reveal the structures of proteins in order to better understand the causes of illness and develop better treatments.

Particle Physics

How does the universe work?

What does the world consist of at the smallest level? What are the most fundamental particles of matter? Natural scientists have been looking into these basic questions since antiquity. In the course of their search, they have encountered ever smaller building blocks – first atoms, then atomic nuclei consisting of protons and neutrons, and finally tiny particles called quarks. Today, particle physicists are investigating the fundamental mysteries of the universe: what holds the cosmos together, and how do particles acquire their mass in the first place?

Astroparticle Physics

Messengers from outer space

In astroparticle physics, DESY researchers are investigating high-energy processes in the universe. Using spectacular detectors and telescopes, the experts analyse neutrinos and gamma rays that come from far corners of the cosmos and can provide information about fascinating phenomena, such as black holes, exploding stars and radiation outbursts of unconceivable intensity.

Accelerators

Speed machines for top performance

Particle accelerators are among the most important tools for research. They speed up tiny, electrically charged particles nearly to the speed of light – that is, to almost 300 000 kilometres per second. A broad range of scientific disciplines benefit from these fast particles. Particle physicists bring them together in head-on collisions to investigate the tiniest building blocks of matter. Chemists, materials scientists and biologists use accelerators to generate the brightest X-ray radiation in the world in order to examine diverse materials ranging from aircraft turbines to microchip semiconductors and proteins that are essential to life. Medical researchers use accelerators for cancer therapy, as the high-energy particle beams can be targeted to destroy tumours.

Education

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