A group of 36 supporters from the British Technion Society visited CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) in Geneva on Monday to witness the incredible experiments being carried out by a team of Technion scientists, who are hoping to unravel the secrets of the universe.

Led by Technion Professor Shlomit Tarem, the group toured a mind-boggling 17- mile tunnel over one hundred metres below Geneva. This will be the location for a unique experiment early next year when Technion scientists, together with scientists from around the world, will recreate the searing-hot conditions experienced fractions of a second after the Big Bang. The experiment is intended to shed light on the unresolved questions of science, to discover the sought-after ‘God particle” and uncover new dimensions in space. The BTS group witnessed the LHC (Large Hadron Collider), the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, and also toured the Assembly site, the large hangar where the experiment equipment is being assembled, much of which was built in Israel.

Before their return to London, the group enjoyed a beautiful lunch on the bank of Lake Geneva, where Lois Peltz, Co-Chair of the British Technion Society, gave further insight into the work carried out by the British Technion Society.

During the visit, Professor Tarem commented: “The Technion team are helping to construct the giant detector called ‘Atlas’ which will measure the rate of particle collision once the LHC is switched on at the beginning of 2008. It is amazing to work with leading scientists from around the world on this experiment and it may be that because of the knowledge gathered, we will know better why all of us exist in this universe.”

“The Technion researchers are playing a pivotal role in the project and generations of students are being educated and will be educated on this experiment.”

Lois Peltz commented: “Our visit to Geneva has given us an extraordinary insight into the amazing advances in science and technology. We are incredibly proud of the Technion’s contribution to an experiment which may entirely alter our conception of the world.”