In the beginning, there was possibly Brian...

A CHADDERTON-born physicist is involved in the world’s most powerful particle physics experiment, which will allow scientists to recreate the early conditions of the universe.

Professor Brian Cox, who was once a member of the chart-topping band D:Ream, is currently involved in the Large Hadron Collider experiment in Switzerland.

When it is switched on next Wednesday, the massive experiment aims to recreate the conditions in the first billionth of a second after the “Big Bang”.

The 39-year-old former Hulme Grammar School pupil — he played keyboards in the band — said: “Everything was simpler then, so if you want to understand the universe it’s a good place to start.”

And he had two words for those who believe the experiment will destroy the world: “utter nonsense”.

He added: “Any idiot can say anything and people will take notice of it.

“It costs us money too, because we have had to increase security.”

The Large Hadron Collider is a 27km-long circular particle accelerator, 100 metres under the Swiss countryside. When activated, particles are accelerated to near light-speeds and crashed into each other, so the collisions can be observed.

Initial particle beam injections were successfully carried out last month and the the first attempt to circulate a beam through the entire LHC is scheduled for next week.

The first high-energy collisions are planned to take place on October 21.

Professor Cox reached number one in the UK charts with “Things Can Only Get Better” in January, 1994.

Now one of Britain’s leading experts in particle physics, he once spent the day in the lab before heading to the Manchester GMEX to support the pop group Take That.

He said: “Music is good when you’re in your teens — but I don’t fancy it any more.

“I wouldn’t want to get on a tour bus now.”