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Neutrino beam 'major physics experiment'

14 February 2014 Last updated at 18:56 GMT

The UK will be part of what is being described as one of the biggest physics experiments ever built, in an effort to learn more about the creation of the universe.

Researchers will fire a beam of particles called neutrinos through 1,300km (800 miles) of rock - from their lab near Chicago to a location in South Dakota.

The UK's role in the $1.5bn (£1bn) project will be to help to build a giant neutrino detector, likely to be about 12m (39ft) across.

Studying how the particles change as they travel will give a deeper understanding of how the Universe works and specifically how it came into being.

Pallab Ghosh reports from Chicago.