High energy physics is a branch of physics that studies the fundamental particles and forces that make up the universe. It often involves experiments conducted in large particle accelerators, such as the Large Hadron Collider, where particles are smashed together at very high speeds to observe the resulting interactions and new particles. This field aims to answer fundamental questions about the nature of matter, energy, and the universe itself. Researchers explore concepts like the Standard Model of particle physics, which describes the known particles and their interactions, and seek to uncover phenomena beyond this model, such as dark matter and dark energy.