The LHC is "the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator that has been in operation since 2008. The tunnel is built in a circuit 27 km (16.7 mi) in circumference and 100 meters (328 feet) below ground, and traverses the border of Switzerland and France. Ultrahigh vacuum and superconducting electromagnets keep the beam of protons on a circular trajectory so they might smash into each other so physicists can study subatomic particles, matter, and antimatter. This knowledge helps us better understand our universe." Feel free to read a little more about the implications of these discoveries.
Our kind and insightful guide Niko is a friend and colleague, who works with data from the LHC "Beauty" experiment. He was very gracious to show us around and answer all our questions. My 13 year old stepson was truly smitten by the concept of the muon particle, so Niko entertained some imaginative commentary.
To enter the underground area, we had to first don our hard hats then pass through a safety mechanism that ensures only a human with no ill intentions is entering the facility. Then we took the elevator deep down 150 meters (about 500 feet) underground.
It was definitely a privilege to get to see this fascinating experiment and learn about what great work is being done at this facility. I highly recommend a visit if you have the opportunity.
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| Don't forget the World Wide Web was created at CERN! |
