Think matter's just a bunch of atoms? Or a jumble of protons, neutrons and electrons? Think again. A whole world of subatomic particles and processes elegantly weave together to form everything in the universe—but much remains to be discovered.

Fundamental physics research advances our understanding about matter and the formation of the universe. Our goal is to push the boundaries of knowledge and develop a more complete model of the laws of nature. Our research is driven by an innate curiosity about the cosmos: what it is, how it started and where it is headed.

Fundamental physics also paves the way for technological innovation. The World Wide Web, cell phones, computers, touch-screens, X-ray imaging, carbon dating, PET scans and countless other invaluable technologies exist today only because of fundamental physics research.

Today, US physicists are continuing to drive technological innovation and expand our understanding about the fabric of the universe through research at the Large Hadron Collider.

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