Downtime

While the Cern laboratory is possibly better known for its imminent deployment of the Large Hadron Collider - and possible attendant apocalypse - it is also emerging as a crucible of musical talent for the YouTube-viewing hoi polloi.

Downtime first noticed the twin particles of pop and Big Bang physics with the advent of girl band Les Horribles Cernettes, a trio who used to rehearse in the office next to Tim Berners Lee.

Now following the doowoppers down the route from Cern scholarship to Web 2.0 music videos comes Kate McAlpine with 'the Large Hadron Rap'. A graduate of Michigan State University, Kate says she wants to explain scientific topics in a way that is relevant, interesting and understandable. A quick look at her nascent scientific career suggests she knows her onions, but in bringing the concepts of energy conservation, dark matter and the very birth of the universe itself to satisfy the average YouTube user, she might find she has her work cut out for her.