Particle accelerators don’t just hunt for obscure subatomic bits
At 3.5 trillion electron volts, a half-power LHC will still be three times as powerful as the world’s previous atom-smashing king, Fermilab’s Tevatron.
The LHC will help scientists seek answers to some of the most profound questions about the universe, including the nature of the elusive Higgs boson, also called (to the chagrin of many physicists) the “God particle,” which is thought to endow other particles with mass.
These may be lofty goals, but particle accelerators can also be used for decidedly more down-to-Earth projects — like fighting cancer, cleaning up industrial waste and even shrink-wrapping your Thanksgiving turkey. More than 17,000 particle accelerators are in operation around the world, used for radial tires, computer chips and 3-D images of molecules, among other tasks.
In honor of the LHC, PopSci takes a look at some other, perhaps more humble uses for these “cathedrals of science.”
Popular Science has been a leading source of science, technology and gadget news since 1872. With up-to-the minute latest space news, insightful commentary on the new innovations and concept cars ...if it's new or future technology you'll find it at popsci.com.au.
WW Media - Popular Science © 2010
Technology - DIY - Videos
