The article reviews recent advancements in the field of laser-matter interaction, focusing on the use of intense laser radiation to trigger or influence physical processes beyond atomic-physics energy scales. The authors discuss the technological progress that has enabled the generation of optical laser intensities exceeding \(10^{22} \text{ W/cm}^2\), which can push fundamental light-electron interactions to extreme limits. These high intensities can lead to radiation-reaction effects dominating electron dynamics, provide insights into the quantum vacuum structure, and facilitate the creation of particles like electrons, muons, and pions. The article also explores the potential of novel sources of intense coherent high-energy photons and laser-based particle colliders for advancing nuclear quantum optics and potentially discovering new particles beyond the Standard Model. The review covers topics such as muon-antimuon and pion-antipion pair production, nuclear physics, laser colliders, and particle physics within and beyond the Standard Model. Additionally, it provides an overview of the latest technological advancements in laser systems, including strong optical and x-ray laser sources, and discusses the dynamics of free electrons and atoms in strong laser fields, both classically and quantum mechanically.The article reviews recent advancements in the field of laser-matter interaction, focusing on the use of intense laser radiation to trigger or influence physical processes beyond atomic-physics energy scales. The authors discuss the technological progress that has enabled the generation of optical laser intensities exceeding \(10^{22} \text{ W/cm}^2\), which can push fundamental light-electron interactions to extreme limits. These high intensities can lead to radiation-reaction effects dominating electron dynamics, provide insights into the quantum vacuum structure, and facilitate the creation of particles like electrons, muons, and pions. The article also explores the potential of novel sources of intense coherent high-energy photons and laser-based particle colliders for advancing nuclear quantum optics and potentially discovering new particles beyond the Standard Model. The review covers topics such as muon-antimuon and pion-antipion pair production, nuclear physics, laser colliders, and particle physics within and beyond the Standard Model. Additionally, it provides an overview of the latest technological advancements in laser systems, including strong optical and x-ray laser sources, and discusses the dynamics of free electrons and atoms in strong laser fields, both classically and quantum mechanically.