HERA (Hadron-Electron Ring Accelerator)

HERA, the Hadron-Electron Ring Accelerator, was a particle collider in Germany that operated from 1992 to 2007. It was designed to smash electrons into protons at very high energies, allowing scientists to study the internal structure of protons and the fundamental forces of nature. By observing how particles behave during these collisions, researchers could explore the strong force, one of the four fundamental forces, and better understand the building blocks of matter. HERA was unique as the only collider to accelerate both electrons and protons simultaneously, providing valuable insights into particle physics.