Dwarf Galaxy 3.
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Physics of the universe

The infant universe was awash in fundamental particles. Over billions of years, matter cooled and clumped into stars and galaxies, tied together by an invisible cosmic web of dark matter. Meanwhile, dark energy was accelerating the expansion of the universe. This evolution continues today, as stars, black holes and whole galaxies collide and shower us with cosmic rays.

SLAC and Stanford are at the leading edge of developing tools for studying the physics of the universe from all angles – from the fundamental particles and interactions that underlie everything we know to the forces that shape galaxies, and beyond. Building on our Nobel Prize-winning history of fundamental physics research, we carry out a broad range of world-leading studies aligned with national priorities in the areas of elementary particle physics, astrophysics and cosmology, including investigations of dark matter and neutrinos that leverage strong national and international partnerships.

Particles collide in this illustration

Elementary particle physics

With more than six decades of experience in building powerful particle accelerators and exquisitely sensitive detectors, SLAC and its partners play a leading role in creating and studying nature’s fundamental building blocks  and  developing theories that explain and guide experiments. 

Elementary particle physics

Two galaxies pass in a bullet cluster.

Astrophysics and cosmology

To explore the  evolution of the universe, the formation of stars and galaxies, the nature of dark matter and dark energy, and the fundamental structure of space and time, SLAC researchers develop cutting-edge scientific tools, from quantum sensors to multi-ton tanks of ultrapure xenon,   for experiments deep underground, on the Earth’s surface and in space. Most recently, we built and shipped the world’s largest digital camera to the Rubin Observatory in Chile, where it will give us the widest, fastest and deepest view of the night sky ever observed.

Astrophysics and cosmology

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Latest news in physics of the universe

News Brief

New 3D, interactive visualization of planets and minor planets in our solar system lets you explore Rubin discoveries in real time.

The main viewing screen of Orbitviewer, a groundbreaking new web app developed by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory that brings the dynamic movement of objects in our solar system to life.
Multimedia

On Monday, scientists and engineers reacted to the first images from the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, marking a historic milestone.

Scientists reacting to presentation
News Feature

Two decades ago, Stanford and SLAC took a gamble on an unproven telescope design. Now it's on the verge of paying off.

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory
News Brief

New 3D, interactive visualization of planets and minor planets in our solar system lets you explore Rubin discoveries in real time.

The main viewing screen of Orbitviewer, a groundbreaking new web app developed by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory that brings the dynamic movement of objects in our solar system to life.
Multimedia

On Monday, scientists and engineers reacted to the first images from the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, marking a historic milestone.

Scientists reacting to presentation
News Feature

Two decades ago, Stanford and SLAC took a gamble on an unproven telescope design. Now it's on the verge of paying off.

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory
Press Release

The state-of-the-art ‘big-data facility’ unveils its first images and video, bringing the night sky to life like never before.

This image combines 678 separate images taken by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory in just over seven hours of observing time. Combining many images in this way clearly reveals otherwise faint or invisible details, such as the clouds of gas and dust that comprise the Trifid nebula (top) and the Lagoon nebula, which are several thousand light-years away from Earth
News Feature

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory is about to embark on its quest to capture the cosmos, marking the culmination of decades of work by...

A group photo in front of a large telescope mounting system.
News Feature

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory will add an unprecedented amount of cosmological data to the study of the structure and expansion of the Universe.

An illustration of a woman holding a book is surrounded by photographic negatives showing pictures of the universe.