European Organisation for Nuclear Resear

European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) scientist faces computers at the Cern's control center on September 10, 2008 near Geneva during the switch on operation of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's biggest atom-smasher in a mission to answer some of the most perplexing questions about the nature of the Universe. Built in a tunnel 100 metres (325 feet) below ground in a complex straddling the French-Swiss border, the LHC is designed to accelerate sub-atomic particles to nearly the speed of light and then smash them together replicating conditions which prevailed in split-seconds after the "Big Bang" that created the Universe 13.7 billion years ago. One of the biggest quests will be to find a theorised particle called the Higgs Boson, which could explain nagging anomalies about mass. The Higgs has been dubbed the "God particle," because it is believed to be everywhere but is so elusive. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI/POOL (Photo credit should read FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)