New Positron Accelerator Design Could Put Antimatter Beam Source on a Desktop

Giant "atom smashers" like CERN and SLAC are famous for their ability to accelerate matter to very nearly the speed of light. By slamming together particles like protons and electrons at extremely high speeds, physicists can gain a better understanding of their fundamental nature--and even uncover new particles, like the now-famousHiggs boson. Their wide range of applications and their place in the spotlight mean that an ever-increasing amount of effort is being devoted to making proton and elec...