Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
Diamond Light Source
The UK’s national synchrotron science facility.
Diamond Light Source Ltd was established in 2002 as a not-for-profit joint venture funded by the UK Government, through the Science & Technology Facilities Council, in partnership with the Wellcome Trust. The UK Government own 86% and the Wellcome Trust own 14%.
The Synchrotron
It works like a giant microscope, harnessing the power of electrons to produce bright light that scientists can use to study anything from fossils to jet engines, viruses and vaccines.
The machine accelerates electrons to near light speeds so that they give off light 10 billion times brighter than the sun. These bright beams are then directed off into laboratories known as ‘beamlines’. Here, scientists use the light to study a vast range of subject matter, from new medicines and treatments for disease to innovative engineering and cutting-edge technology.
Whether it’s fragments of ancient paintings or unknown virus structures, at the synchrotron, scientists can study their samples using a machine that is 10,000 times more powerful than a traditional microscope.
Diamond is one of the most advanced scientific facilities in the world, and its pioneering capabilities are helping to keep the UK at the forefront of scientific research.
The synchrotron is free at the point of access through a competitive application process, provided that the results are in the public domain.
Over 7000 researchers from both academia and industry use Diamond to conduct experiments. They are assisted by approximately 500 staff.
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