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ALICE inner tracking system at CERN
Scientists in Switzerland have powered up a huge machine and begun what could be the world's most powerful experiment...
the LHC (large hadron collider) in its tunnel
It's being carried out in a machine called a Large Hadron Collider (LHC), and could help answer some big questions... like how the universe began.
LHC in its tunnel
The machine is inside a 17-mile long tunnel, buried deep underground on the border of France and Switzerland.
the giant magnet Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) being placed underground in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
It cost five billion pounds, and took 20 years to build...
the last of 1746 superconducting magnets being lowered into the LHC tunnel via a specially constructed pit
And contains more than 1,000 huge magnets!
scientists at the CERN's control center
Scientists powered it up for the first time on Wednesday.
Scientists applauding
And so far they say their tests are going well.
scientists look at computer screens showing traces on the Atlas experiment of the first protons
They say the first beam of particles has already travelled the whole way round the pipe...
collision of two protons
When the particles are whizzing around fast enough, the scientists will smash them into each other... and see what happens!
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