GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung

GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung operates a unique accelerator for heavy ions. Researchers from around the world use this facility for experiments that help them make fascinating discoveries in basic research. In addition, they continually develop new and impressive applications.

Hunting for the neutrino mass with "cool" detectors
On a copper-colored electronics board, a rectangular microchip with golden wiring is visible at the center. It's surrounded by four smaller green and blue chips.
Their mass is extremely low, but how light are neutrinos really? A collaboration comprising German and international research groups, among them also the Helmholtz Institute Mainz and GSI/FAIR, has optimized its experiments to determine the mass of these “ghost particles”. In doing so, they succeeded in further pushing down the upper limit on the neutrino mass scale. The results are published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
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Evidence of an exotic atomic nucleus state
Two silver glittering half-spheres stand to the sides of a silver cylinder. Many cables lead away to the sides.
An international research team has found evidence of the existence of an exotic atomic nucleus state in an experiment at the GSI/FAIR research center in Darmstadt. Although such a state has long been predicted theoretically, it has never been observed before. The system consists of an atomic nucleus of the carbon isotope ¹¹C and an η′ meson (etaprime meson) — a short-lived particle composed of a quark and an antiquark. This system is bound exclusively by the strong interaction, i.e., the force…
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FAIR – the future accelerator facility

In the next few years the new international accelerator facility FAIR, one of the largest research projects worldwide, will be erected at GSI. At FAIR an unprecedented variety of experiments will be possible. Thereby physicists from all around the world will be able to gain new insights into the structure of matter and the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present.
Learn more about FAIR: GSI about FAIR or FAIR web page

Cancer Treatment with Ion Beams

GSI is the birthplace of a new form of cancer treatment. This development was the result of many years of research in conjunction with GSI’s large ion-beam accelerator system. The advantage of this new treatment modality is that the ion beam selectively damages tumor tissues while sparing the surrounding healthy tissues. More...

The Creation of New Elements

Chemical elements are produced in stars and stellar explosions. Elements are the building blocks of all materials that surround us – including every atom of our bodies. The universe is also home to a large number of atoms that do not occur on earth. One of the key tasks of the researchers at GSI is to attempt to create previously unknown elements. More...


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