欧洲对撞机创下质子对撞最高纪录 (Atom Smasher Achieves Record Power)
欧洲的科学家说，他们在世界最大的原子对撞机上创下了高能量质子对撞的最新纪录，模拟创造宇宙的“大爆炸”状态。
欧洲粒子物理研究所的科学家说，星期二的成功试验是一个“重大突破”，并且“开辟了科学的一个新时代”。欧洲粒子物理研究所的官员说，星期二进行的前两次试验都没有成功。
这个大型强子对撞机位于日内瓦附近瑞士和法国边界地下的一个隧道里。在2008年9月对撞机启动仅仅九天之后，由于发现技术问题，欧洲粒子物理研究所被迫关闭这个耗资100亿美元的对撞机长达一年多。
科学家说，当对撞机全速运转时，可以使粒子以接近光速的速度相撞。科学家希望，研究结果可以有助于揭开物质特性以及宇宙起源的秘密。
European scientists say they have set a record for high-energy collisions of protons in the world's largest atom smasher, mimicking conditions close to the "Big Bang" that created the universe.
Scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, called Tuesday's successful attempt a "major breakthrough" and the "beginning of a new era in science."
CERN officials said two earlier attempts Tuesday were unsuccessful. The Large Hadron Collider is located in an underground tunnel below the Swiss-French border near Geneva.CERN was forced to shut down the $10 billion machine for more than a year due to technical problems discovered just nine days after its September 2008 inauguration.
When the collider operates at full capacity, scientists say it will be able to smash particles at nearly the speed of light. The scientists hope the resulting research will help them unlock mysteries about the nature of matter and the origins of the universe.