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For other uses, see Aperture (disambiguation).

Aperture Science, Inc.[7] is a United States-based scientific research corporation appearing in Portal and Portal 2, as well as its logo on the Borealis in Half-Life 2: Episode Two.


Aperture Laboratories is also used as a trade name by Aperture Science for most of its products, as Aperture Science dba Aperture Laboratories. Aperture Science Innovators was the trade name used before the 1970s.



Cave Johnson era

In the early 1940's, Aperture Fixtures was founded by Cave Johnson as a shower curtain manufacturer (The name "Aperture Fixtures" was chosen "to make the curtains appear more hygienic"[7]). Johnson renamed the company "Aperture Science Innovators" in 1947, also for the same purpose of making the curtains appear more hygienic.

In 1947, Cave Johnson purchased an abandoned salt mine that ran over 4200 meters underground in order to create the facility for Aperture Science.

ASCDT cave

Cave Johnson, founder and CEO.


Early work on the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device began; the early version, called the Aperture Science Portable Quantum Tunneling Device, proved to be too bulky for effective use, while poor surface conductors for the portals often caused mangling or death of the test subjects when they tried to use the portals.[source?] Repulsion Gel was first developed around this time as well for use as a diet supplement. At first only the brightest and best of society were chosen for testing (such as Astronauts, Olympians, and War Heroes) but after being connected to a string of astronaut disappearances in 1968, Aperture Science focused on recruiting homeless people for testing, starting in 1972. Cave suspects Black Mesa of industrial espionage on the company's products, and blames them for Aperture's bankruptcy. (Propulsion Gel was released around this time too.)

By 1981, Cave Johnson was exposed to toxic Conversion Gel, made out of ground-up moon rocks. He dies of moon-rock poisoning sometime during the 1980's.

Post-Cave Johnson era

As far as 1982, the Enrichment Center, where Test Subjects undergo tests, is functioning, as the Enrichment Center Test Subject Application Process, a 50-question questionnaire destined for applying Test Subjects, is already used at that time.[7] It is unknown if the Enrichment Center is already "computer-aided" in 1982, as scientists have been known to supervise Test Subjects from small offices until an undetermined date. The Enrichment Center Test Subject Application is operated by version 1.07 of GLaDOS, later "1.07a" and "1.09".[7]



In 1986, word reaches Aperture Science management that Black Mesa is working on similar portal technology. In response to this news, Aperture Science begins developing GLaDOS.[7]


In 1997, GLaDOS' version is 3.11.[5]


Aperture Science Exit

A back exit of Aperture Laboratories years in the future.

In 1998, the untested AI of GLaDOS is activated for the first time as one of the planned activities on Aperture's first annual bring-your-daughter-to-work day. Upon being activated, she almost instantly becomes self-aware, takes control of the facility, locks everyone inside, floods the Enrichment Center with deadly neurotoxin, but is partially halted when she is quickly fitted with a Morality Core. She then begins a permanent cycle of testing, aimed at beating Black Mesa in the race to develop functioning portal technology.[7][13] However a few days later, on May 16, the Black Mesa Incident occurs at the Black Mesa Research Facility, allowing aliens to teleport from Xen to Earth, eventually leading to the Combine invasion, stopping GLaDOS' race against Black Mesa.[13]

GLaDOS' control

Glados side


As seen in the hacker message found on referring to the lock-down, the remaining employees continue working, as they are said to be working on twenty-year-old equipment. The construction of an Enrichment Center is also mentioned, suggesting that the Aperture Laboratories house several of them. The number of Aperture Science employees also likely diminishes, until there are only a few of them left. The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device is likely already completed at that time, but it is unknown if it is before or after GLaDOS' activation.


Portal era
Aperture Labs entrance

Parking lot and guard hut of the Aperture Science Enrichment Center.


A typical Test Chamber in the Enrichment Center.

Sometime after GLaDOS' takeover of Aperture Laboratories and shortly after the Combine invasion of Earth,[14] the Enrichment Center seems to be abandoned, and GLaDOS seems to rule it alone, although other people are apparently still trapped somewhere.[10] The scribblings left by Rattmann also seem rather old, showing that the Enrichment Center has been partially abandoned for some time. A calendar named "The girls of Aperture Science", dated 1983, is also worn-out. Chell is awakened in her Relaxation Vault in the Enrichment Center, and is guided as a Test Subject by GLaDOS, utilizing the completed ASHPD, while the A.I. shows signs of instability. When GLaDOS attempts to murder Chell at the end of her tests, she flees through maintenance areas of the Enrichment Center, and eventually seemingly destroys GLaDOS, before being dragged away inside by the Party Escort Bot.


Portal 2 era

Portal 2 takes place a very long time after the events of Portal.[11] Chell wakes up from the Long-Term Relaxation Doug Rattmann put her in during the events of Portal 2: Lab Rat, as it was the only way for her to survive. When she wakes up, the first she hears is: "You have been in detention for: 9. 9. 9. 9. .[sound of metal structures falling apart].. 9. 9. ...". Then the message is interrupted again, not to continue. During that time, Aperture Science as it originally was likely did not exist anymore, as GLaDOS and the Personality Cores took over the partially destroyed facility, where tests are still performed.[11]

Other facts

Borealis Ep2

The Borealis as seen in Episode Two.


"Dollar$ and Sense" slides

  • During Chell's tests, GLaDOS mentions a "self-esteem fund for girls", to which one can donate one or all of their vital organs. This is likely true, as it is apparently said as one of GLaDOS' few automatic messages.

Pillar one: Science without results is just witchcraft.
Pillar two: Get results or you're fired.


October 17th, 1976
Re: Human Enrichment & Testing Initiative, Resource Acquisitions

1. "Low Risk" Human Resource Acquisitions

a. Hoboes and Tramps

b. Child Orphans and Foundlings

c. Psychiatric Patients

d. Seniors

Known personnel


Test Subjects

Known technology

Known weapons

Other experiments


  • Using nanoparticles in the Mobility Gels to introduce "experimental genes and RNA molecules" into Test Subject's tumours caused by the facility itself.


Behind the scenes

Isometric room portal is free


  • Aperture literally means "narrow gap or hole"; it is the term used for the iris-like opening used in cameras and certain doors, such as the bottom-mounted door on the Aperture Science Pneumatic Diversity Vent . The company's logo reflects this, as it takes the shape of an iris-like aperture.
  • In Portal, it is stated that Cave Johnson died due to being exposed to mercury while secretly developing a dangerous mercury-injected rubber sheeting, with which he plans to manufacture seven deadly shower curtains to be given as gifts to each member of the House Naval Appropriations committee[7][13] (Most likely because the decision that led to the Navy declining to buy Aperture's curtains depended on the committee). This was retconned in Portal 2.
  • Aperture Science's logo is similar to the one featured in the software Picasa.

Artwork gallery


Aperture Science logo variants

As with Black Mesa, the Aperture Science logo is directly based on the company's name, appearing as a stylized, partially closed diaphragm, with an aperture in the center. Aperture Science's logo is essentially just a camera lens with F-number 2.8 [19] An "aperture" is an adjustable opening in an optical instrument, such as a camera or telescope, that controls the amount of light passing through a lens or onto a mirror. An "aperture" can also simply refer to any opening.[20][21] However the name "Aperture Science" is likely random, as it was merely chosen for its shower curtains to appear "more hygienic".[7] Dog's unique eye is also an aperture in a diaphragm; the Emergency Intelligence Incinerator is also topped by a diaphragm. Furthermore, real-life logos such as the Picasa or the Jyske Bank logos bear similarities with the Aperture Science logo.

Aperture Laboratories logo variants


Posters and other

List of appearances

