Science Programmes
Low background particle and nuclear physics
For every one million cosmic rays that hit the surface of the Earth, only one will penetrate deep enough to reach the underground lab. This natural phenomenon makes Boulby Underground Laboratory a ‘quiet place in the universe’ – one of only a dozen facilities in the world where particle physics studies can be carried out with minimal interference from cosmic background radiation.
Astrobiology and planetary exploration
The deep underground environment at Boulby can sometimes feel otherworldly. Our astrobiology and planetary exploration programme supports research which aims to use the mine tunnels themselves as an analogue site for Mars, whether that be for robotics testing, practising looking for extra-terrestrial extremophile life, or studies into off-planet habitation.
Earth and environmental science
Being 1.1 km into the Earth makes for a great place to study it. Boulby Underground Laboratory’s Earth and environmental science capabilities are many and varied, ranging from investigations into renewable energy storage solutions through to deep Earth seismology.
Quantum technologies
Boulby Underground Laboratory’s emerging quantum technologies programme seeks to exploit the radio-quiet and seismically-quiet deep underground environment to develop and operate high-sensitivity quantum systems and technologies.
FAQs
How many projects do you host in the underground lab?
Answering this question isn’t quite as straightforward as it might first seem. For starters, it depends on what you define as a project. Some of the experiments that we host are multi-national collaborations with installation phases that are due to last years, whereas others are more “proof of concept” -type studies. Also, our material assay suite contains two UltraLo-1800 XIAs, two radon emanation chambers, one ICP-MS, and eight germanium detectors. Does that all count as one project or multiple?
Secondly, projects don’t stay in the lab forever. As an experiment reaches the end of its life and it has taken all the data it needs, we will decommission it to make room for new science that needs the space. Therefore the number of projects that we host in the lab will change year-to-year or month-to-month.
That being said, we tend to say that we host roughly twenty different projects in our underground lab.
Can I visit the lab?
Unfortunately we are unable to host public visits due to the logistic complexities involved with working underground. If you would like to request a visit for a business or operational purpose, please enquire using the contact form at the top of our website.
How can I work with Boulby Underground Laboratory?
Researchers interested in developing new experiments or proposals at Boulby Underground Laboratory are invited to contact us with an expression of interest. We welcome ideas across all scientific disciplines supported at the facility, and our team can advise on feasibility, infrastructure, and next steps for formal proposal submission. We also welcome proposals for collaboration on our public engagement programmes. Please use the contact form at the top of the website to get in touch.
For all press and media enquiries, please contact the STFC Press Office at pressoffice@stfc.ac.uk.
Enquiries
Interested in working with us? Get in touch to explore how Boulby Underground Laboratory can provide access to world-class underground facilities to support your research and outreach.
