Large hadron collider faster than expected

Published on Monday 23 November 2009 21:58

THE world's largest atom smasher made another great leap forward yesterday by circulating beams of protons simultaneously in opposite directions.

The true test will be in first two months of 2010, when scientists plan to start colliding protons to discover more about the make-up of the universe and its tiniest particles.

The large hadron collider has been advancing faster than expected in its start-up phase that began on Friday night, said Rolf Heuer, director-general of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, known as Cern.

"It went much faster than foreseen," said Fabiola Gianotti, who speaks for the Atlas experiment, one of four major detectors in rooms the size of cathedrals about 100 metres underground. "We're all very happy."

It is possible that some unintended proton collisions began yesterday or will occur soon at the places where the two beams cross.

Intentional proton collisions could begin within the next ten days, mainly to check how the machine is working.