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LHC rebounds from baguette attack; sends beam around half the ring

Splash event in the CMS detector

Splash event in the CMS detector.

In a triumph for technology over toast, the LHC was back in top shape this weekend following last week's baguette-caused interruption to the cooling of two sectors. CERN reports that proton beams were sent halfway around the LHC in the counterclockwise direction, arriving at the doorstep of the CMS experiment on Saturday evening for the first time since last September. The CMS e-commentary has more photos and images of "splash" events in the CMS detector.

And in another piece of good news for the LHC, last week scientists at CERN celebrated the successful completion of the accelerator's new Quench Protection System. The system, which includes more than 6000 new detectors, is designed to protect the LHC from another failure of the type that occurred last September.