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On Thursday, Oct. 17, from approximately 9 p.m. to midnight, Fermilab and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office will conduct live-gunfire tests of Fermilab’s on-site gunfire detection system. These tests will be conducted safely, using bullet traps – no live rounds will be fired into the air or into the ground, and there will be no danger to the public or wildlife. However, the sound of gunfire may be heard in neighborhoods near Fermilab on Thursday evening.

Advances in subatomic physics heavily depend on ingenuity and technology. And when it comes to discovering the nature of some of the most elusive particles in the universe, neutrinos, scientists need the best and most sensitive detector technology possible. Scientists working at CERN have started tests of a new neutrino detector prototype, using a very promising technology called “dual phase.”

On Oct. 1, Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette and members of the U.S. Secretary of Energy Advisory Board visited Fermilab to see first-hand its world-class facilities for exploring particle physics, accelerator science and technology, and quantum science.

Look out, oil spills. The concept of using floating magnets for cleaning up oil spills, which started as a demonstration in a 9-ounce cup, is now a full-scale prototype — thanks to an agreement between Fermilab’s Office of Partnerships and Technology Transfer and Natural Science LLC.

Many researchers from Latin America can trace their entry into experimental particle physics to an initiative started by former Fermilab Director Leon Lederman.

Scientists working at CERN have started tests of a new neutrino detector prototype using a promising technology called “dual phase.” If successful, this new technology will be used at a much larger scale for the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, hosted by Fermilab. Scientists began operating the dual-phase prototype detector at CERN at the end of August and have observed first tracks. The new technology may be game-changing, as it would significantly amplify the faint signals that particles create when moving through the detector.

With an increasing underground workforce, the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility has undertaken multiple projects to ensure worker safety. Working closely with Sanford Lab staff, LBNF recently completed an upgrade to emergency systems, including areas of refuge and evacuation capabilities.

Fermilab and the University of Bern in Switzerland have signed an agreement to develop detector components for the laboratory’s neutrino experiments. The agreement is the first of its kind between Fermilab and a Swiss university.

Latin America has reached a pivotal moment in experimental particle physics and astrophysics research. Throughout the month of October, Symmetry will highlight important places, explain significant milestones, and introduce you to some of the people who have shaped and are continuing to shape particle physics and astrophysics in Latin America.

A collaboration led by Fermilab and Stanford University combines their expertise in quantum science and accelerator technologies to build the world’s largest atom interferometer. The instrument will push the boundaries of quantum physics into macroscopic scales, providing a gateway for dark matter searches and tests of gravitational waves.