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.

A successful summer season: GSI/FAIR's SCIENCE POP-UP attracts more than 1,200 science enthusiasts
Model of a neutron star.
The 2026 summer outcome for the GSI/FAIR SCIENCE POP-UP is extremely positive: The activities in the interactive hands-on space were among the summer attractions in downtown Darmstadt. Despite the sometimes very hot temperatures, more than 1,200 science enthusiasts of all ages visited the exhibition space in Darmstadt’s pedestrian zone during the school vacation and took the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research using particle accelerators.
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JLU and GSI/FAIR strengthen cooperation: Joint appointment of Maxim Mai to the Heisenberg Professorship in Theoretical Hadron Physics
Professor Maxim Mai and JLU President Professor Katharina Lorenz at the signing ceremony.
Physicist Professor Maxim Mai has been appointed to the professorial chair of Theoretical Hadron Physics at Justus Liebig University Gießen (JLU), starting on September 1, 2026. This is a joint appointment with the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt, to which JLU has been closely linked through a cooperative partnership for more than 15 years. The professorship is being established as part of the German Research Foundation’s (DFG) Heisenberg Program.
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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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