Giant Particle Collider Fizzles

[n2doc]

Many of the magnets meant to whiz subatomic particles around the 17-mile underground Large Hadron Collider outside Geneva have mysteriously lost their ability to operate at high energies.



By DENNIS OVERBYE
Published: August 3, 2009

The biggest, most expensive physics machine in the world is riddled with thousands of bad electrical connections.


Many of the magnets meant to whiz high-energy subatomic particles around a 17-mile underground racetrack have mysteriously lost their ability to operate at high energies.

Some physicists are deserting the European project, at least temporarily, to work at a smaller, rival machine across the ocean.

After 15 years and $9 billion, and a showy “switch-on” ceremony last September, the Large Hadron Collider, the giant particle accelerator outside Geneva, has to yet collide any particles at all.

But soon?

more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/science/earth/04collide.html