CERN exhibit explores mysteries of the universe
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
The exhibition ‘Accelerating Science,’ which will remain open until July 8 at the Middle East Technical University, shows how experiments using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN will unravel some of the mysteries of the universe. It also displays the connection between fundamental research in the past with technologies of the present. AA photos
Ankara’s Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) welcomed on April 3 an exhibition developed by CERN, the world’s leading particle physics laboratory, called “Accelerating Science.”The goal of the exhibition is to inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity about the origin of the universe and the basic components of matter. It shows how experiments using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN will unravel some of the mysteries of the universe, and it displays the connection between fundamental research in the past with technologies of the present.
At the opening ceremony held at the METU Kemal Kurdaş Culture and Congress Center, the president of CERN, Professor Rolf-Dieter Heuer, said the secrets of 95 percent of the universe had not been solved yet and that technology was necessary to solve these secrets. “Young brains are necessary to produce technology. We expect that young visitors of the exhibition will be excited about visiting CERN,” he said.
The rector of ODTÜ, Professor Ahmet Acar, said the exhibition had been opened for the first time in a country that was not a member of CERN. “ODTÜ’s scientists have been participating experiments in CERN and getting big success,” he added.
The exhibition consists of six zones. An entrance tunnel takes visitors back to the time of the big bang, where a “Big Bang Theater” narrates the history of the universe. Next the particle zone shows and explains the basic structure of matter. A mystery room discusses the mysteries of matter and the universe. The CERN research area teaches visitors how research at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is done. The final zone, “Our World is Built on Basic Research,” explores the link between basic research and our daily lives.
Attractive to youth
At the exit of the exhibition, posters displaying the contributions of Turkish universities to CERN and providing information about the METU physics department are also on display.
The panel texts of the exhibition are written in both Turkish and English. A significant part of the exhibition consists of interactive media (touch panels and games) that are particularly attractive to a younger audience.
The exhibition, which will continue until July 8, is suitable for visitors ages 12 and up. It was developed in partnership with the University of Geneva, and with support from the Dudley Wright Foundation. The traveling exhibition has been presented in Switzerland, Italy, Denmark and Austria.
