Ever wanted to know how it feels to walk alongside the Large Hadron Collider, fire one of the most powerful lasers in the world, or peer into the night sky from the Atacama Desert? Find out this summer and beyond as STFC takes its amazing interactive exhibitions on the road.

Professor Pavel Matousek has an intriguing story to tell. Back in 2004 he and his collaborators at STFC’s Central Laser Facility stumbled across a technique for analysing the chemical make-up of materials. Four years later Pavel co-founded a company called Cobalt Light Systems to exploit applications of the technique, known as Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS), for noble purposes.

International Dark Sky Week is a global event that celebrates the beauty of the night sky, raises awareness of the effects of light pollution, and encourages citizens to take action.

Over 850 sixth form students from 60 schools attended STFC’s Particle Physics Masterclass at Daresbury Laboratory and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory during March. These one-day events aim to inspire AS and A-level physics students by showcasing big science projects in the UK and around the world.

Apprenticeships have a profound impact on individuals, business and the economy. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) offers a number of electrical, electronic and mechanical apprenticeships at a world leading research and development organisation.

It’s 5:30pm on a cold and overcast February Friday night. But that doesn’t stop over 500 revellers wrapping up and coming to STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) for the ‘Stargazing at RAL’ event, an evening of science, exploration and delicious onion bhaji burgers.

On Thursday 11 February 2016, an international team of scientists announced the first-ever detection of gravitational waves – ripples in the fabric of space-time predicted by Einstein a century ago.

Graphene is a 2D carbon crystal, which means that it is only one atom thick. It’s a million times thinner than a piece of paper, and yet it’s stronger than steel and conducts electricity better than copper. At the same time it’s flexible, and stretchy, and can be rolled up into carbon nanotubes. Science and industry alike are very excited about its potential.