Smashing Protons at Record Speed

April 1, 2010 -- The world’s biggest atom smasher – the Large Hadron Collider on the border of France and Switzerland -- set a record today by colliding protons at far higher energy levels than previous efforts. Several experiments using the particle accelerator will enable scientists to study new elementary particles, including possibly those that make up dark matter, and other components of the universe. Meanwhile, a meeting to plan the next technical design phase of the International Linear Collider, an electron-positron particle accelerator that will elaborate the discoveries of the Large Hadron Collider, concluded March 30 in Beijing. Two reports from the National Research Council discuss the scientific promise of particle accelerators. Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos: Eleven Science Questions for the New Century describes the importance of technologies like particle accelerators, which can provide answers to the many questions surrounding the creation of the universe. Revealing the Hidden Nature of Space and Time: Charting the Course for Elementary Particle Physics recommends that the United States assume a leadership position in the design, management, and funding of the International Linear Collider.