Description

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This book presents both the history and scientific background leading to the LHC, the world's collider. The story, as I see it, is an unlikely one -- without some unexpected developments, we might not have ended up asking the right questions or organized, in the right way, the building of such a large scientific apparatus. Understanding the science is as important as understanding the history, both of which are presented at a level appropriate for an educated layperson or general undergraduate. The historical treatment starts with the discovery of radiation in 1895 and ends with the end of 'naturalness, ' the LHC's most troubling revelation.