On April 8, a total solar eclipse passed over parts of the U.S., Mexico and Canada. In the weeks leading up to the eclipse, questions about the natural phenomenon bubbled up online.
People wondered things like whether their cell phones will still work or if the eclipse can affect animal behavior. Both of those are true.
The eclipse has also fueled some conspiracy theories. A video clip that has been shared repeatedly on social media appears to show a portal opening in the sky. People sharing the clip claim it shows a portal opening over Geneva, Switzerland, where the CERN particle accelerator is located, just days before the eclipse and question whether it’s a “coincidence.”
Some people in the comments asked if the video is real. Search terms like “CERN April 8th” and “CERN eclipse 2024” are also Google trending search topics.
THE QUESTION
Did the CERN particle accelerator open a portal ahead of the 2024 solar eclipse?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, the CERN particle accelerator didn’t open a portal ahead of the solar eclipse. The video clip was initially shared by a video creator on Instagram in September 2023.
WHAT WE FOUND
This viral video was actually posted by a self-identified “video creator” online several months before the April 8 eclipse. It does not show an actual portal opening over Switzerland. While there have been a number of conspiracy theories about the CERN particle accelerator, VERIFY previously confirmed it can’t create portals or black holes.
On July 5, 2022, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, restarted its particle accelerator. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a particle accelerator is a machine that speeds up the smallest known particles, such as electrons or protons, to very high energies. Inside the accelerator, two high-energy particle beams travel close to the speed of light before they are forced to collide. CERN says the process shows scientists how the particles interact, and “provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature.” CERN first started up the particle accelerator on Sept. 10, 2008.
The video clip being shared with conspiratorial claims ahead of the solar eclipse is not a real video at all.
VERIFY traced the video to an Instagram post from Sept. 23, 2023, that was shared by a person named Antonio Williams. Williams’ Instagram profile says Williams is a “video creator.” The video was also shared to Williams’ Facebook and TikTok accounts and has amassed millions of views.
“THE OPENING (9/23/2023): MAN CATCHES A STAR OPENING A PORTAL!!!! DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS REAL OR FAKE! BUT THIS IS VERY INTERESTING! THOUGHTS?! BEST COMMENT WILL BE PINNED! (PLEASE LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE),” the Instagram caption says.
VERIFY reached out to Williams but did not hear back at the time of publication.
There is no geographical information shared with the video, so claims the video clip shows a portal opening over Geneva, Switzerland, are also unsubstantiated.
Further, there have also been no legitimate reports of a portal opening anywhere in the world, ever.
When CERN restarted the machine in July 2022 after a three-year hiatus for maintenance, three never-before-seen particles were identified by scientists. And contrary to viral theories at that time, a portal to a new dimension wasn’t discovered then either, nor was a black hole opened. According to NASA, a portal or cosmic black hole's gravity is so powerful that it would be able to pull in nearby material and "eat" it. There is no evidence that’s been happening anywhere in the world ahead of the 2024 solar eclipse.
VERIFY previously asked CERN about the conspiracy theories that portals, wormholes or black holes could be created through the particle accelerator.
“CERN’s research captures the imagination of lots of people, which is why CERN has been featured in a lot of science fiction books / even movies, around the world. These imaginative works, inspired by our scientific research, are works of fiction generated to capture the reader or viewer's sense of wonder and should not be confused with the actual scientific research,” CERN has told VERIFY.
VERIFY reached out to CERN to confirm what experiments, if any, would be conducted in connection with the 2024 solar eclipse and did not hear back at the time of publication.
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