Today, scientists at CERN in Geneva erupted into cheers as the world’s largest particle accelerator produced its first planned proton beam collisions at unprecedented energy levels.
Although the machine is now running at half power following its initial start-up woes, today’s 7 trillion electron-volt (TeV) collisions are by far the highest energy man-made particle collisions on record, easily outstripping achievements of the LHC’s predecessor, the Tevatron.
Media coverage
Radio New Zealand: Hadron Collider scientists celebrate smashing success
Stuff.co.nz (Reuters): Hadron Collider creates mini Big Bangs
NZ Herald (AP): Big Bang Machine sets atom-smashing record
BBC: Cern scientists celebrate Large Hadron Collider success
National Geographic: Large Hadron Collider smashes protons, sets record
* CERN Press release: LHC research programme gets underway