science · 07 June 1950 · 75 years ago
In 1950, a European nuclear physics laboratory, complete with cyclotron was proposed by Nobel Prize winner, Isidor I. Rabi, to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). He represented the U.S. at the 5th General Conference, but was able to speak also with support from European scientists. The role of Unesco would be to initiate the project with a sum of about $5,000 to cover the cost of selecting the site, and to act "as a catalytic agent in obtaining the practical collaboration of scientists from various countries in the region. By 1952, the third session of its provisional Council decided to locate in Switzerland. CERN (Centre Européenne de Recherche Nucléaire) was ratified on 29 Sep 1954.
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