Gaining a following since the launch of the infamous Large Hadron Collider, particle physics explores our most fundamental and mind-blowing questions: How did the Universe start? What are we made of? How small is the smallest thing? Without presuming any prior scientific knowledge, Brian R. Martin takes readers on a wide-ranging tour of the field, from its beginnings in nuclear physics to the discovery of quarks and cutting-edge research into string theory, the mystery of antimatter, and the current search for the elusive "God particle.” Brian R. Martin is emeritus professor of physics at University College London, where he chaired the physics department until 2004.