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Published online 10 September 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.1098

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LHC switches on

Giant accelerator sees first beam circulate successfully.

Geoff Brumfiel

The world's largest particle accelerator has officially switched on. Just before 10:30 local time this morning, physicists successfully circulated the first protons around the 27-kilometre ring of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located at CERN outside of Geneva, Switzerland.

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  • According to local TV coverage today was Armageddon .. CERN could have told press that they were not going to end the world today at 8:00 but only run the first tests for the endgame! Two facts i really missed from nature publications was more technical details about the LHC. The largest experiment every constructed on earth and you rarely find information about real details beside the theory behind dark energy or higgs particles. I'd like to know how they generate power for the LHC and how much energy is consumed. Also it's interesting how they create the vacuum or the real low temperatures. (I remember i read about temperatures way below liquid nitrogen capabilities) Well maybe we will be enlighted later ;/

    • 10 Sep, 2008
    • Posted by: Hannes Kocznar

  • Are any of you as excited as I am about this thing? Check out http://www.cafepress.com/cossbot/5965007

    • 11 Sep, 2008
    • Posted by: Robotor C