A new exhibition exploring the world of accelerators and particle physics has opened in the University of Liverpool’s historic Quadrangle.
Code of the Universe is a travelling photographic exhibition that showcases the work carried out at CERN together with its international partners. It features a series of 40 panels, lit up at night, that discusses open questions in modern physics, the social impact of accelerator research, and the future of particle accelerators, exemplified by the Future Circular Collider project.
Through striking images and thought-provoking narratives, the exhibition highlights how international collaborative efforts to understand existential and scientific questions have not only deepened our knowledge of particle physics but also driven breakthroughs that innovative accelerator technologies have in our daily lives.
Visitors are invited to reflect on fundamental questions such as: What is the Universe made of? What laws make life possible? And why is there something rather than nothing?
The exhibition is accompanied by a new augmented reality (AR) app co-developed by University of Liverpool researchers to help the public understand how fundamental research can lead to real-world innovations, from medical technologies to digital infrastructure.
The app provides interactive experiences that bring the science to life and allow visitors to engage more deeply with the stories behind the discoveries. The app is designed to be used at Code of the Universe exhibits, or in “home mode” suitable for classroom or workshop settings. It can be adapted for both adults and children, offering an engaging and educational interaction for users of all ages.
The app is available to download for iOS and Android devices from the following link: https://codeoftheuniverse.eu/
Code of the Universe has been shown in several European cities such as Brussels, Genoa, and Vienna. This is the first time the exhibition comes to the UK. It will run in the Quadrangle until 18 September and is open to the public free of charge.
Professor Carsten Welsch, from the Cockcroft Institute and the University of Liverpool, who co-developed the exhibition with colleagues at CERN and other international partners, led the effort to bring it to Liverpool. He said: “In the last 60 years, our understanding of the fundamental forces and building blocks of nature has advanced enormously, culminating in the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN in 2012. But the picture is far from complete.”
“We still don’t know why matter and antimatter were not created in equal amounts at the birth of the Universe, or what dark energy is – the mysterious force driving its accelerated expansion. These open questions remind us how much more there is to discover about the origins of the Universe.”
“This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to step inside the fascinating world of physics, and I encourage everyone to come and experience it for themselves.”
Beyond big questions, the exhibition also illustrates the practical impact of frontier research, showing how accelerator technologies not only probe the smallest scales of matter but also drive innovations with applications in medicine, energy, and beyond.
The Code of the Universe exhibition coincides with the International Beam Instrumentation Conference (IBIC 2025) which takes place in the University of Liverpool on 7 – 11 September and the British Science Festival, with numerous activities across Liverpool city centre.
The exhibition is co-funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 framework programme.