At CERN, some 10,000 physicists are investigating elementary particles that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The schoolchildren taking part in the project conduct investigations, just like the physicists, on sealed boxes containing unknown objects. To work out what's inside, they have to proceed through a series of hypotheses and experiments.

Throughout the project, the classes are invited to produce written material and to use a website that allows them to compare ideas, share their thoughts and put questions to the scientists. The teachers can also organized a visit in a science lab close to their school to meet scientists and discuss their investigations with them.

A classroom kit is available for 99 CHF. It contains a teaching manual, opaque bags containing the objects to discover, unfolded boxes and an X-ray image. For more information: stephan.petit@cern.ch