Listen again: Herwig Schopper, Former CERN head has served science and peace for 100 years Artwork

The Swiss Connection

Discover science and innovation in Switzerland with the Swiss Connection Podcast! From the tiniest particles to the vastness of space, satisfy your scientific curiosity and join our journalists while they talk to researchers working on projects ranging from rocket building and AI to medicine and climate solutions.

This podcast is produced by SWI swissinfo.ch, a multilingual public service media company in Switzerland.

All Episodes

The Swiss Connection

Listen again: Herwig Schopper, Former CERN head has served science and peace for 100 years

August 21, 2025 • SWI swissinfo.ch

Send us a text

We’ve received the sad news that former CERN director and experimental physicist Herwig Schopper has passed away at the age of 101. He was considered the grandfather of the world’s most powerful particle accelerator, helped promote peace through a Middle Eastern science hub, and voiced his concerns about the Nobel Prize. In 2024, just before his 100th birthday, we had the chance to visit him at his home on Lake Geneva. We spoke with him about some of the highlights of his career and his personal thoughts on research and its potential to contribute to peacebuilding.

SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.