• The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a particle accelerator and hadron collider located at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland. Operation was initially set to begin in May 2008. The collider was turned on for the first time September 10, 2008.VOA News: World's Biggest Atom Smasher to Start-up (September 7, 2008)

  On September 23, 2008, the LHC was shut down due to mechanical difficulties. The European Organization for Nuclear Research said that an electrical connection between two magnets melted, causing liquid helium to leak into the tunnel.MSNBC: Supercollider shut down until spring (September 23, 2008) The estimated restart date of the LHC is currently November, 2009.Gearlog: More Leaks Found in Large Hadron Collider (July 21, 2009)

• 1. Location: Border between France and SwitzerlandCERN: LHC: The Guide (PDF)
  2. Positioned 330 feet undergroundCERN: LHC: The Guide (PDF)
  3. Final estimated cost: In excess of $10 billionCERN: LHC: The Guide (PDF)
  4. Circumference: 26,659 metersCERN: LHC: The Guide (PDF)
  5. Total Magnets: 9300CERN: LHC: The Guide (PDF)
  6. Proton RPS: 11,245 (99.99% speed of light)CERN: LHC: The Guide (PDF)
  7. Internal pressure: 10 to the -13 atm.CERN: LHC: The Guide (PDF)

• Controversy

  Some individuals are concerned that the collider will produce unexpected results. Theories have ranged from the possibility of a mini black hole to the production of some unknown particles that could contaminate the Earth. Researchers at CERN are convinced there is nothing to be worried about.CNN.com: Some fear debut of powerful atom-smasher (June 30, 2008)

• Background

  The LHC will be the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It is theorized that it will produce the Higgs Boson particle, which would be a significant step towards a Grand Unified Theory.VOA News: World's Biggest Atom Smasher to Start-up (September 7, 2008)

Categories