Science / Medicine : Atom Smasher Catches a ‘Z’

The largest atom smasher in the world, which recently began operating near Geneva, has passed a major milestone.

The Large Electron-Positron Collider, which boasts a 17-mile-long circular accelerator buried beneath farms and villages along the border between Switzerland and France, has captured its first “Z” particle. The collider is expected to capture thousands of “Zs” during the months ahead, helping scientists determine the fundamental nature of matter.

Scientists believe that the Z particle is the bearer of the weak subatomic force, which allows atoms to decay in a process that releases radioactivity. A fuller understanding of that process should move scientists closer to understanding the basic forces of nature.

The European laboratory, known by its French acronym, CERN, is thus poised to move ahead of its chief rival, the Stanford Linear Collider, which has already produced more than 250 Z particles but is not expected to be as prolific.