The number of people working in high-energy physics research can vary depending on several factors, including the country or region, the specific research institution or laboratory, and the stage of ongoing experiments or projects. It is challenging to provide an exact count of individuals involved in high-energy physics research worldwide, but I can offer some general information.
High-energy physics is a highly collaborative field that involves scientists, researchers, engineers, technicians, and support staff from various disciplines. This includes theoretical physicists, experimental physicists, engineers specializing in particle accelerators and detectors, computational physicists, and many others.
Large-scale experiments in high-energy physics, such as those conducted at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), typically involve collaborations of thousands of scientists from institutions around the world. For example, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, which made headlines with the discovery of the Higgs boson, involves thousands of scientists and engineers.
Beyond CERN, high-energy physics research is conducted in numerous universities, laboratories, and research institutions globally. These institutions have their own research teams and collaborations, contributing to the overall workforce in the field.
Overall, while it is difficult to provide an exact number, it is safe to say that high-energy physics research involves a substantial number of researchers and professionals worldwide, working together on a range of experiments, projects, and theoretical investigations.