Discoveries in physics in the early 20th century regarding the structure of the atoms led to big questions, especially about the nature of these subatomic particles. It was during this era that Albert Einstein derived his formula relating mass and energy: E=mc^2. Although we now know much more about protons, electrons and neutrons, there are still other questions to be answered. For example, what is the nature of particles smaller than electrons? Einstein's formula also led to the development of the Big Bang theory for the creation of the universe. CERN's Large Hadron Collider in Geneva is one example of how scientific questions of the Age of Anxiety continue to influence today's research. In simple terms, the LHC accelerates two protons at extremely high velocities into each other to see what happens when they collide--to examine how the particles break up and also to recreate the conditions of the Big Bang and observe how the universe was created. There is also talk of building a particle accelerator in the tunnel of the Circle Line in the London Underground!http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/hadron-collider-ii-planned-for-circle-line-1932744.html
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