Second chance for Hadron Collider
The LHC is to be switched on for the first time in over 12 months
Scientists are preparing to give the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project a second chance, as the major experiment kicks off again today (20th November).
It is hoped that the £6 billion instrument, which is based at Cern near Geneva, has recovered from the problems that blighted its original launch around 12 months ago, allowing it to finally provide an insight into the Big Bang, the Guardian reports.
The LHC has been given a makeover to ensure it is ready for its second run, as repairs and the installation of a new safety system worth around £24 million have been carried out since part of the machine exploded in September 2008.
Initial particle collisions carried out using the system will take place at low levels to ensure it is in working condition, while hopes are high that the project will highlight both the existence of dark matter and the Higgs boson – a particle which is believed to give others mass.
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Lyn Evans, the Abedare-born Swansea University graduate that has led the LHC project since the beginning, said the past few months have been "a frustrating time", but claimed the machine now works "beautifully".
He added: "By Christmas, I expect we will take the high-energy frontier, if only by a whisker."
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