The European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) houses the largest magnet in the world. During its course of operation, many of the world's foremost particle physicists have worked or conducted research at the CERN facility. Medical imaging and the World Wide Web were both derived from CERN research. The World Wide Web portion of the Internet actually began as a method for computer scientists at CERN to track high-energy collaborations from physicists all over the world.

CERN was completed in 1954 and is located near Geneva, Switzerland. The facility was one of the first joint scientific ventures built in Europe. Membership has grown from 12 original countries to more than 20 participating countries. About 3,000 people work at CERN, along with visiting scientists who customarily remain on the roster of their home university or research institute. It is not uncommon for researchers...