The MoEDAL experiment at the LHC: In search of magnetic monopoles.

The theoretical and experimental studies of magnetic monopoles have strong connections with fundamental theories, particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. The consistency of the existence of magnetic charges with quantum mechanics was originally derived by Dirac. Searches for “classical” monopoles at every new accelerator, including the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, are based on Dirac's finding. Magnetic monopoles are also required by Grand Unification Theories. Unlike classical ones, they would be incredibly massive, out of reach of any conceivable accelerator. They are searched for in the cosmic radiation as relic particles from the early Universe in the widest explorable range of mass and velocity. The properties of magnetic monopoles are here recalled. The main focus is on the status of the searches for Dirac monopoles at accelerators and on the MoEDAL experiment, a dedicated magnetic monopole detector at the LHC.