The LHC: a new hadron collider for experimental physics

The Large Hadron Collider is now under construction at CERN. This accelerat or will be by far the most powerful ever built, and will provide the curren t generation of experimental physicists with an extraordinary opportunity t o make new discoveries. It will also provide accelerator scientists with a tool to test current theory and refine studies of possible future accelerat ors going to even higher energies. The environment of a collider is such th at experts of both disciplines have to collaborate closely, and this will s urely continue to be to the long-term advantage of our whole field of scien ce. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.