Large Hadron Collider delayed again!

Many physicists are eagerly waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting ... for CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to go online to become the world's most powerful particle accelerator. A series of tests that were supposed to begin in the weeks before Christmas have been pushed back, according to several articles:

• New Scientist - World's biggest particle collider is delayed again
• Nature - Large Hadron Collider delayed
• PhysOrg.com - Scientists confirm delay in testing new CERN particle accelerator

Originally planned to begin operation in 2002, the LHC is no stranger to delays. This most recent delay is the accumulation of a number of minor setbacks and this newest delay still places the LHC start date in spring of 2008, according to CERN spokesmen.

The design calls for a number of new technologies, including temperature cooling to a level below that of outer space - certainly an ambitious undertaking to get miles of equipment so close to absolute zero. The scientists who designed and plan to work on the LHC anticipate that the energy of the collisions will resolve many questions remaining in particle physics and quantum physics, perhaps answering the questions that would either prove or disprove the controversial string theory.