The biggest particle collider of the world has executed its first important test successfully by shooting a beam of protons around a 27 km (17 mile) tunnel on Wednesday, September 10, 2008. The scientists around the world are calling it the next most remarkable step towards understanding the Universe's makeup.  

A series of trial runs were made, after which two tiny dots flashed on the computer screens at 10:36 a.m. (0836 GMT). This signaled that the beam of protons had journeyed the entire length of the Large Hadron Collider worth US$3.8 billion. After the protons beam finished its lap, project leader Lyn Evans exclaimed, 'There it is'.

Champagne corks popped and scientists in laboratories as far as Chicago watching the proceedings by satellite celebrated the success. Physicists now wield much greater power to crush the components of atom together in order to understand how they are made. Organization CERN started shooting protons about the tunnel in stages less than an hour earlier.

Since CERN has successfully tested the beam of protons in the clockwise direction, it will now fire it anti-clockwise. Ultimately CERN will fire two beams of protons in opposite directions a split second after the big bang, which scientists hold was the enormous explosion that created universe.