CERN-WOW!

I was fortunate enough to get to go on a tour to CERN today. CERN is the world's largest particle physics lab.

We got to see the large structures that are being built above ground as part of the LHC project, a project designed to unlock the secrets of the universe.

They build 15 huge 4,000 ton structures and then lower them 450 feet into a subterranean tunnel. This forms one of I believe 5 measurement stations placed inside a 28km ring. I've attached some pictures of these units. These contain huge helium cooled electromagnets that are designed to deflect beams of protons, travelling near the speed of light. They have two paths, one clockwise and one counter clockwise. When they steer them, they can make them collide. The project will likely complete next spring and the hope is that these collisions will release particles that have been trapped inside protons since nearly the beginning of time...this will recreate a snapshot of our universe, nanoseconds after the 'big bang'.
Pretty exciting.

On a practical note, this system when running burns more electricity than the city of Geneva!



Lots of electronics..just to control and detect the result of a subatomic collision!

View of two of the 4,000 tons each steering columns/detectors...

large crane outside the building to lower each unit once it is built...
Lunch view!