Major physics data-sharing initiative launched

More than 30 European research organisations, including some of the most recognised names in astronomy and particle physics, have agreed to collaborate on a data-sharing initiative that will form part of the European Open Science Cloud.

The initiative, called the European Science Cluster of Astronomy and Particle Physics ESFRI Research Infrastructures or ESCAPE, was announced on 20 November. It will facilitate data sharing and analysis by the organisations involved, opening up the data to other researchers and the public.

“It is the first time that many of the greatest European scientific facilities in physics and astronomy have combined forces to make their data and software interoperable and open, committing to make the European Science Cloud a reality,” said Giovanni Lamanna, director of a particle physics laboratory at the CNRS, France’s largest public research organisation, and the project coordinator. “The name ESCAPE was chosen because our cluster aims to let data and research fly out from confinement.”