Epiphany Night is a pivotal event that took place on November 30, 2012, at the CERN research facility. It is considered historic because it marks the first documented large-scale interaction between humanity and Exotic Matter (XM), the mysterious substance central to the story.
What Happened on Epiphany Night? Dr. Ezekiel Calvin, a scientist at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and a key figure in Ingress lore, orchestrated an experiment at CERN involving XM detection and study. During this experiment, a catastrophic incident occurred, where a sudden massive surge of XM flooded the facility. This event altered the consciousness of several researchers present, known as the Niantic Project researchers, causing them to develop extraordinary insights, inspirations, and "abilities” thus, the name "Epiphany Night." It also triggered a global phenomenon where XM began appearing across the world, drawing the attention of governments, corporations, and secret organizations. The incident essentially kicked off the struggle between the two Factions in Ingress: The Enlightened (who believe XM can be used to advance human evolution) The Resistance (who see XM as a dangerous influence that must be controlled)
Epiphany Night is regarded as the origin point of the modern XM war, setting up the entire premise of Ingress Prime and its battle for control over portals and XM energy.