China fires up powerful particle accelerator to unlock secrets of atoms

China has brought online a record-breaking particle accelerator that can produce the world’s most intense beams of charged atoms. It gives scientists a new tool to create previously unknown atomic nuclei and advance research on cancer treatment and spacecraft materials. Scientific operations have now begun at the 2.6 billion yuan (US$384.1 million) facility in Huizhou, Guangdong province after construction was completed on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua reported. Known as the High…