Large Hadron Collider

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator complex, intended to collide opposing beams of protons (one type of hadron) charged with high energy. Its main purpose is to explore the validity and limitations of the Standard Model, the current theoretical picture for particle physics. It is theorized that the collider will confirm the existence of the Higgs boson, the observation of which could confirm the predictions and missing links in the Standard Model, and could explain how other elementary particles acquire properties such as mass.

The LHC was recently completed and was run for the first time today. First beams were shot only a small way through, and when that worked without any problems a beam was shot all the way round which also worked perfectly without a hitch. The first high-energy collisions are planned to take place after the official unveiling on October 21.

The LHC was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and lies underneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva, Switzerland. It is funded by and built in collaboration with over eight thousand physicists from over eighty-five countries as well as hundreds of universities and laboratories.

2015 LHC News

• The LHC finds evidence of particle activity beyond the Standard Model
• Detection of tiny black hole could explode Big Bang theory

2014 LHC News

• The world’s most advanced particle accelerator is just 12 inches long and sits on a lab bench in the US
• LHC makes clear identification of a weird particle made of four quarks

2013 LHC News

• ‘God particle’ confirmed: CERN says data ‘strongly indicates’ Higgs boson found

2012 LHC News

• New Type Of Matter Created By Large Hadron Collider Say Astounded Scientists
• Surprise and elation as signal crosses finish line
• Physics Community Afire With Rumors of Higgs Boson Discovery
• LHC reaches highest energy level yet: 8TeV

2011 LHC News

• Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to run into 2012
• Large Hadron Collider to stay running for another year

2010 LHC News

• Big Bang machine to fall silent: Large Hadron Collider to be shut down for a year

2009 LHC News

• Cern's Large Hadron Collider makes first collisions
• LHC atom smasher back in business
• LHC nears restart after repairs

2008 LHC News

• LHC introduction video
• Wikipedia LHC article
• LHC images at WikiMedia commons
• National Geographic news item
• Large Hadron Rap - who says physicists are uncool?!