For a change of pace, I have spent some time at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), a particle accelerator complex near Zurich, a kind of companion laboratory to CERN (some say it’s the “boutique” version!) It definitely has a different feel, smaller and more compact overall, and thus more tangible in a way. And just by chance, a group of CLIC / CLEAR physicists were there at the same time as me, all visiting my old mate and collaborator Tom Lucas, who has been developing harmonic resonators and electron guns (he also collaborated on my 2016 “Song of the Phenomena” installation) . Some of the CLIC technologies have gone into a new linear accelerator: the XFEL ( X-Ray free electron laser), a linear particle accelerator almost (or just!) a kilometre long. Traversing the length of this experiment took about an hour and we all found it very exciting and inspiring … in a way, it was like getting the old band back together!

Here is  an “acccelerated timelapse” video sketch of the linear accelerator which I did on the accelerating train back to CERN.

In memory of Ollie Olsen, an inspiring sonic visionary and pioneer of exploratory and electronic music, who sadly passed away last week.