Largest particle collider conducts successful test

By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS, Associated Press Writer

GENEVA - Scientists have successfully fired protons in both directions around a 17-mile (27-kilometer) underground ring in what some call the next great step to understanding the universe.

The counterclockwise circuit inside the world's largest particle collider follows a test that sent a beam in the opposite direction Wednesday.

Scientists hope their experiments inside the 4 billion Swiss franc (US$3.8 billion) Large Hadron Collider will provide the power needed to smash the components of atoms together in attempts to learn about their structure.

The startup was eagerly awaited by physicists around the world who will conduct experiments at the collider.

Source : Yahoo! News