String Theory

Last year there was a lot of controversy surrounding the launch of The LHC(Large Hadron Collider) at CERN Labs, near the Franco-Swiss border. This collider was made to smash atoms at very high energies (There are other smashers in the world, but much weaker compared to the LHC). Some people were worried it would create a black hole. Unfortunately, the LHC has had some problems launching. Reports say they will try again this summer.
In this documentary called The Elegant Universe, which is based on a book of the same name, provides some insight as to why this Atom smasher was built in the first place. Everyone knows that the world is composed of atoms, which are composed of neutrons, protons, and electrons. However these are not the only ones. There are others, which are much tinier. These particles are so tiny that in order to detect them, physicists must smash atoms at very high energies. Presently, some physicists theorize that the world is composed of tiny strings which give rise to particles such as electrons, quarks, and so on. This theory cannot be proved real until physicists detect important clues. Thus the LHC, which will smash atoms at much higher energies than ever before, could in fact lead to a new scientific revolution. On the other hand, its a little worrying that in order to make bigger discoveries physicists much use such high energies. Where is the line they draw before entering dangerous levels.

Watch Brian Greene's Elegant Universe over at PBS, its an extremely insightful and very well done science video.