My body is a tiny composition of molecules, insignificant compared to the three-story-high particle detector towering over the various tanks, wires, and steel tubing from which it had been constructed.
The life-saving medical technology known as Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, makes detailed images of soft tissue in the body, nearly eliminating the need for exploratory surgery.
These photos represent an eye blink in the evolution of the Linac Coherent Light Source, a groundbreaking facility taking shape at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
When it comes to getting rid of cancer, the sharpest scalpel may be a proton beam. Technology conceived and hatched in highenergy physics is now treating thousands of patients per year, with fewer side effects.
Many of the people trained in particle physics move on to jobs in industry, where their skills are in high demand. There you can find a theorist exploring for oil or an accelerator scientist working on cancer treatments.
Stories abound about how particle physics benefits education, the economy, and society as a whole. Quantifying those benefits would help particle physics better demonstrate its value to the country.
