Teenagers took a trip to the edge of human understanding.
Students from Neston High visited the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland to be shown around by a former pupil who is now a University of Liverpool researcher working at the cutting edge of particle physics.
The centre is also home of the worldwide web.
The A-level physics students spent three days at CERN being guided by members of the ATLAS project which is mapping the secrets of the universe.
These included Dean Forshaw who was on the first trip organised to CERN by the university for Neston High 10 years ago.
Dean now works as part of the large team helping to upgrade the giant ATLAS experiment on CERN’s 27km long large hadron collider where the famous Higgs boson was discovered in 2012.
His first visit to CERN was as a Neston High pupil in 2004.
Dean said: “I never would have considered a career in particle physics without the opportunities and support given to me by Neston High School.
“Ten years on from my first trip to CERN I’m about to complete my PhD at Liverpool.”
On their return the group met Ellesmere Port and Neston MP and chairman of the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, Andrew Miller, at the high school.
Mr Miller said:“Neston High School has always understood the importance of encouraging young people to study science and there can be no bigger ‘switch on’ than CERN.
“For those people who say ‘What’s the point’, I invite them to look at some remarkable spin-offs from particle physics, including scanning devices that are now commonplace in our hospitals.
“ I hope that other schools will follow Neston’s lead.”
Student Cameron McAllister said:“Seeing CERN was an amazing experience.
“Talking to the scientists working there, some of whom had been to my school, just showed how far you can go by studying physics.”
