Spring into Discovery Space – YouTube Playlist Webinar 1: Launch and Introduction to Discovery Space Webinar 3: Mission to Mars Learning Scenario Webinar 4: Zookeepers of the Galaxy Spring into Discovery Space Certificates will be available and will list webinars attended and implementations, as applicable, covering the period of the whole campaign. To request a certificate, you must complete the Entry Form, which will be shared near the end of the campaign in mid-May.
The latest issue of e-EPS is out!
Read the May 2025 issue of e-EPS here. e-EPS is the Society’s monthly newsletter.
European Strategy for Particle Physics: community input received
Substantial contributions to the 2026 update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics set the stage for discussions that will define the next flagship collider at CERN Geneva, 17 April 2025. The deadline for submission of input for the 2026 update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP) has passed, with 263 contributions received. The large number of submissions cover the full spectrum of high-energy physics and express the priorities of the community, at a level ranging from individuals to nations. The input will be digested by expert panels in preparation for a community-wide Open Symposium that will be held in Venice from 23 to 27 June. “We are heartened to see so many rich and varied contributions, in particular the national input and the various proposals for the next large-scale accelerator project at CERN, and thank everyone for their hard work and rigour,” said Strategy Secretary Karl Jakobs (University of Freiburg). “The European Strategy Group and the Physics Preparatory Group have their work cut out and we look forward to distilling the input ahead of the Open Symposium with a view to reaching a consensus on the future of the field by the end of this year.” The ESPP takes place every 5 to7 years under the mandate of the CERN Council, which is composed of delegates from CERN’s Member and Associate Member States. Launched in March 2024 and organised by the Council-appointed European Strategy Group (ESG), the 2026 ESPP update “aims to develop a visionary and concrete plan that greatly advances human knowledge in fundamental physics, in particular through the realisation of the next flagship project at CERN”. The importance of the Higgs boson to our fundamental understanding of the Universe is reflected in the large number of ESPP submissions calling for deeper study of this unique particle and associated domains. Exploring the nature of the invisible “dark matter” that is known to govern the motion of galaxies is another popular subtopic, along with the study of neutrinos. Underpinning the community’s physics aspirations are accelerator science and technology, detector instrumentation and computing. Progress in these technologies is vital for the realisation of the next flagship programme, which was also reflected by the recommendation of the 2020 Strategy to define roadmaps for research and development. Contributions on these topics and on six subtopics of particle physics will be reviewed by the Physics Preparatory Group (PPG), which comprises experts in the relevant subfields. For each physics area, comparative assessments of the scientific potential of various proposed projects against defined physics benchmarks will be conducted. Most input regarding projects and large experiments strongly features sustainability, as environmental protection is a firm commitment of CERN and its community. In direct response to recommendations of the previous Strategy update in 2020, a major focus of the submitted input concerns the preferred project to succeed the LHC when the 27-km collider reaches the end of its operational lifetime in 2041. The update is also expected to prioritise alternative options to be pursued if the chosen preferred plan turns out not to be feasible or competitive. “The discovery of the Higgs boson at the LHC in 2012 opened a new window on some of the most outstanding mysteries in physics, and colliders are the only way to produce and study this unique particle,” said Costas Fountas, President of the CERN Council. “Identifying a successor to the LHC that will allow us to explore its properties in full is essential to maintaining the leading role of CERN in particle physics, and the Council therefore very much looks forward to the recommendations of the ESPP process.” Several submissions refer to possible future colliders at CERN. The feasibility study for the Future Circular Collider (FCC), which was recommended in the 2020 update of the Strategy, has been completed and the report was released on 31 March; it describes a 91 km-circumference infrastructure that could host a precision electron-positron “Higgs and electroweak factory”, followed by an energy-frontier hadron collider at a later stage. A proposal for a Linear Collider Facility at CERN, which could be based on the technologies of the International Linear Collider (ILC), the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) and/or other technologies, was also submitted. Other proposals include a muon collider, as well as the LEP3 and LHeC accelerators, the latter two being based on reuse of the existing LHC tunnel. However, for the LHeC, an additional energy-recovery linear accelerator would need to be added to CERN’s accelerator complex. More than 50 national and national-laboratory submissions have been received, including from outside Europe. In line with the ESPP mandate, many make clear statements on which major project should succeed the LHC. In its review, the ESG will take the physics reach as well as other factors into account. “To be able to fully assess the rich landscape of proposals and to compare major projects, is it vital that we consider the national input, project timelines, cost, sustainability and the environment, among other factors,” says Karl Jakobs. “We have structured this responsibility across seven working groups which, combined with the output of the PPG and, crucially, the outcome of the Open Symposium, will feed into the final deliberations to take place during the Strategy Drafting Session in December. The process for the 2026 update of the ESPP is running full steam ahead, and we hope for further strong participation by the full community, in particular at the Open Symposium.” Further information: An alphabetical list of all contributions, with direct links to the submitted material, is available on the Strategy web page. The submissions can also be accessed via this Indico page: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1439855/contributions/
The 2025 HEPP Division Prizes are announced!
The High Energy and Particle Physics Division of the EPS is proud to announce the 2025 EPS HEPP prizes. Awards will be presented at the EPS Conference on High Energy Physics taking place from 7th to 11th July 2025 in Marseille, France. Prizes will be published on the division’s website on 28th April. View the 2025 EPS HEPP prizes here. Congratulations to the winners!
2025 EPS Plasma Physics Division Prizes announced
The Plasma Physics Division of the European Physical Society is happy to announce the 2025 EPS PPD Prizes: Visit the website of the division for all the details about the winners.
European labs lead the way: Europe’s fusion energy research in full swing
7th April 2025, press release EUROfusion In a virtually unprecedented alignment of efforts, Europe’s major fusion research experiments have simultaneously entered a high-intensity experiment phase, showcasing Europe’s strong collaboration and leadership in the global quest to develop fusion as a sustainable energy source. Recent milestones, including JET’s record-breaking fusion power output and WEST’s record-setting plasma duration, underscore Europe’s cutting-edge technology and scientific excellence. With vital contributions from Tokamak à Configuration Variable (TCV), ASDEX Upgrade, and Wendelstein 7-X, as well as essential technology work for ITER and the European DEMO program, EUROfusion is proud to highlight the breadth and depth of Europe’s fusion research capabilities.ictions for future machines.“ Read the complete press release on the website of EUROfusion.
The City of Göttingen is an EPS Historic Site
The European Physical Society (EPS) has named the City of Göttingen an “EPS Historic Site” in recognition of its leading role in the development of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics and so the basis of quantum physics was founded in Göttingen in 1925. The new theory rapidly developed and, even to this day, continues to fundamentally shape our understanding of nature. The City and University soon became a leading centre of modern physics. In light of this, the UN General Assembly declared 2025 the “International Year of Quantum Science and Quantum Technology”. The official plaque showing the award will stand in front of the Forum Wissen – the knowledge museum of the University of Göttingen in Berliner Straße. It was unveiled in the evening on 1 April during a ceremony at the Göttingen Spring Meeting of the German Physical Society (DPG) in the Aula, Göttingen University’s Great Hall, on Wilhelmsplatz. “Research always means dynamic change,” said University President Professor Axel Schölmerich. “The new colleagues who were appointed in recent years are our promise of scientific progress and new insights, and Göttingen continues to be the ideal place for this. We are delighted with this award for the entire city, because it honours not only the scientists, but also the many people who, as technicians and other staff, have contributed significantly to knowledge at every opportunity.” “As Mayor, I am very pleased about this recognition on the occasion of the anniversary,” said Göttingen’s Mayor Petra Broistedt. “The famous Göttingen Spirit, which even 100 years ago had already led to such great accomplishments, can still be felt in Göttingen. From the University to the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) to the numerous renowned research institutes: cutting-edge research is part of our city’s DNA. Especially in times of increasing hostility towards science, academic freedom is a precious asset. It is up to all of us to protect this and continue our success story.“ On the occasion of the City of Göttingen being recognised as an “EPS Historic Site”, the EPS, together with the DPG and its other member societies from across Europe, emphasised the fundamental importance of quantum science for Europe and the future in a joint statement. The statement can be found here: www.eps.org/Europe-and-the-Future-of-Quantum-Science and www.dpg-physik.de/veroeffentlichungen/aktuell/2025/die-rolle-der-quantenwissenschaften-in-europa?set_language=en. Press release: Göttingen University – Image credit: Göttingen University / Peter Heller
The LHC experiment collaborations at CERN receive Breakthrough Prize
The Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics was awarded to the ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb collaborations during a ceremony held in Los Angeles on 5th April 2025 Geneva, 7 April 2025. This weekend, the ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb collaborations at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN were honoured with the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. The prize is awarded to the four collaborations, which unite thousands of researchers from more than 70 countries, and concerns the papers authored based on LHC Run-2 data up to July 2024. It was received by the spokespersons who led the collaborations during that time. The prize was awarded to the collaborations for their “detailed measurements of Higgs boson properties confirming the symmetry-breaking mechanism of mass generation, the discovery of new strongly interacting particles, the study of rare processes and matter-antimatter asymmetry, and the exploration of nature at the shortest distances and most extreme conditions at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider”. “I am extremely proud to see the extraordinary accomplishments of the LHC collaborations honoured with this prestigious Prize,” said Fabiola Gianotti, Director-General of CERN. “It is a beautiful recognition of the collective efforts, dedication, competence and hard work of thousands of people from all over the world who contribute daily to pushing the boundaries of human knowledge.” Following consultation with the experiments’ management teams, the Breakthrough Prize Foundation will donate the $3 million Prize to the CERN & Society Foundation. The Prize money will be used to offer grants for doctoral students from the collaborations’ member institutes to spend research time at CERN, giving them experience in working at the forefront of science and new expertise to bring back to their home countries and regions. ATLAS and CMS are general-purpose experiments, which pursue the full programme of exploration offered by the LHC’s high-energy and high-intensity proton and ion beams. They jointly announced the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 and continue to investigate its properties. “This prize recognises the collective vision and monumental effort of thousands of ATLAS collaborators worldwide”, says ATLAS spokesperson Stephane Willocq. “Their talent and dedication, and the support of our public funding agencies, enabled the scientific breakthroughs that are being celebrated today. These results have transformed our understanding of the Universe at the most fundamental level.” “CMS is deeply honoured to receive this prestigious prize,” said CMS spokesperson Gautier Hamel de Monchenault. “Through continuous innovation in exploiting the data from the Large Hadron Collider over the past fifteen years, the CMS collaboration is conducting a thorough characterisation of the Higgs boson, exploring the electroweak scale and beyond and probing the hot, dense state of nuclear matter that prevailed in the early Universe.” ALICE studies quark-gluon plasma, a state of extremely hot and dense matter that existed in the first microseconds after the Big Bang, while LHCb explores minute differences between matter and antimatter, violation of fundamental symmetries and the complex spectra of composite particles (“hadrons”) made of heavy and light quarks, among other things. “The ALICE collaboration is honoured to receive the Breakthrough Prize for the investigation of the properties of the hottest and densest matter available in a laboratory, quark-gluon plasma”, says ALICE spokesperson Marco Van Leeuwen. “The new grants funded through this prize will contribute to training the next generation of ALICE scientists.” “The award of the 2025 Breakthrough Prize is a great honour for the LHCb collaboration. It underlines the importance of the many measurements made by the LHCb experiment in flavour physics and spectroscopy through the exploration of subtle differences between matter and antimatter and the discovery of several new heavy quark hadrons”, says LHCb spokesperson Vincenzo Vagnoni. By performing these extraordinarily precise and delicate tests, the LHC experiments have pushed the boundaries of knowledge of fundamental physics to unprecedented limits. They will continue to do so with the upcoming upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider, the High-Luminosity LHC, which aims to ramp up the performance of the LHC, starting in 2030, in order to increase the potential for discoveries. Image, From left to right: Andreas Hoecker, former ATLAS spokesperson; Patricia McBride, former CMS spokesperson; Marco Van Leeuwen, ALICE spokesperson and Vincenzo Vagnoni, LHCb spokesperson (courtesy of Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize)
Spring into Discovery Space – Invitation
The European Physical Society and its partners in the Discovery Space project are excited to invite teachers to take part in the “Spring into Discovery Space” Webinar Series and Implementation Contest! Discovery Space has created an online enhanced learning environment with learning scenarios to guide students on differentiated pathways through scientific investigations, and now we’re ready to try it out in classrooms across Europe! Scenarios cover a wide range of physics and non-physics topics, including simple pendulums, the photoelectric effect, the phases of the Moon, the seasons, artificial intelligence and more. Webinar Series: Until mid-May, EPS and guest hosts from across Europe will animate a series of webinars to guide teachers how to use the Discovery Space online platform and learning scenarios. Implementation Challenge: To recognise the efforts of teachers who help us pilot learning scenarios with their students, we’re thrilled to introduce the Spring into Discovery Space – Implementation Challenge, with exciting prizes including attendance at the Discovery Space Summer School in Marathon Greece, invitations to a Discovery Space workshop in Mulhouse, France, and personalized Discovery Space training events! Join the “Spring into Discovery Space” mailing list to receive registration details and reminders for the contest and webinars.
Europe and the Future of Quantum Science
In 2025 we celebrate 100 years since the formulation of quantum physics, a scientific milestone that has shaped the modern world. In the 21st century, quantum physics will continue to develop, bringing with it new and unexpected results. Technologies based on these discoveries lead to applications which will benefit humanity. The laws of quantum physics were first formulated in Europe in 1925 and describe the behaviour of the smallest constituents of matter, such as elementary particles, atoms and molecules. Quantum objects behave differently – and often counterintuitively – compared to the objects we encounter in our daily lives. Quantum physics triggered a technological revolution, and a century later a second quantum revolution is underway. We use this anniversary to highlight the transformative history of quantum science and technology and explore the immense future possibilities. The first quantum revolution, built on the wave nature of quantum particles and on the existence of energy “packets” called quanta, began in the middle of the 20th century. This revolution not only deepened our understanding of the fundamental workings of the universe – culminating in the development of the Standard Model of particle physics – but also led to devices and technologies that are now fundamental to our daily lives. Examples include computers and consumer electronics (such as mobile phones) based on semiconductors, LEDs, lasers, modern medical imaging and treatments, positioning and navigation (GPS, Galileo, etc.), the new definition of the kilogram, photovoltaics, technologies and approaches underpinning climate research, and many others. The second quantum revolution, where we can fully control the quantum behaviour of elementary constituents like atoms or photons started around the beginning of the 21st Century. This revolution changes the way we think about information, computing, measurement, and matter; leading, for example, to innovative methods for secure communication, quantum sensing, and new quantum materials. Progress in quantum science continues to accelerate. Global efforts, particularly in Europe, underscore the field’s importance, further highlighted by the United Nations’ designation of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Whilst some applications of quantum physics, like atomic clocks, moved quickly from research to practice, others, such as quantum computing, are currently transitioning from research to commercial applications. Even after 100 years, quantum physics remains a field with significantly untapped potential. Many fundamental questions are still open, which impact both our understanding of the field and its practical applications. These include the search for quantum gravity, whether there is a maximum size for quantum systems, the scaling of quantum computing and the classical limit of quantum physics. Global challenges, including secure communication, efficient energy management, climate monitoring, advanced healthcare solutions, and novel drug design may be addressed using quantum science and technology. This underscores the transformative societal impact that quantum technologies could achieve, as well as our obligation to use them responsibly. Everyone can appreciate the surprising and fascinating nature of quantum physics. Public engagement and outreach initiatives should appeal to all sectors of society. Both to attract students to the field and to raise awareness of its societal impact. The EPS and national physical societies welcome and support initiatives to increase curiosity and interest in quantum science and technology, preparing our societies for the changes and opportunities to come. We also encourage the various emergent education programs on Quantum Science / Engineering / Computing in Europe to collaborate and exchange best practices. We support actions to train a new generation of students fostering scientific and industrial growth. We encourage the creation of networks of academic and industrial stakeholders from startups to large corporations to promote scientific and technological development and build upon the ongoing second quantum revolution. The disruptive nature of quantum innovation makes it a field where many actors, from small companies to large corporations, can play a decisive role. We support the creation of an inclusive environment for all actors to develop and deliver innovations. We welcome the recognition of the strategic importance of quantum technologies for the scientific and industrial competitiveness of our countries, by European policy makers. Their support to develop world-class fundamental research on quantum science and the creation of technology ecosystems across Europe is the key for the success of the field. Signatories: European Physical SocietyAustrian Physical SocietyDanish Physical SocietyFrench Physical SocietyFinnish Physical SocietyGerman Physical SocietyInstitute of Physics (UK)Italian Physical SocietyLithuanian Physical SocietySociety of Physicists of Macedonia Polish Physical SocietySpanish Royal Physical SocietySwiss Physical Society The declaration was drafted by: Claus Lämmerzahl, ZARM and GOC, University of Bremen, Germany Jean-Philippe Brantut, EPFL, Zurich, SwitzerlandChristophe Couteau, University of Technology Troyes, CNRS, France Anna Di Ciaccio, University of Roma Tor Vergata and INFN, Italy Elisa Ercolessi, University of Bologna, ItalyJuan José García-Ripoll, Institute of Fundamental Physics, IFF-CSIC, SpainMairi Sakellariadou, King’s College London, United KingdomKarol Zyczkowski, Jagiellonian University, Cracow and Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland