Today’s physics news: Thursday, 19 November

LHC beams getting ready to whizz

It seems that beams will start whizzing tomorrow evening, Friday 19 November, around the 27 kilometre tunnel. 
Guardian
BBC

ESA approves mission to Mercury

A 970 million Euro probe, BepiColumbo, has been approved by the European Space Agency’s Science Programme Committee, due to launch in 2014.  The European Orbiter will study Mercury for a year, imaging the surface and collecting data on the planet’s atmosphere.
BBC
British businesses are ready for a low carbon economy…

…. says Richard Lambert, director general at the Confederation of British Industries (CBI) in a column in today’s Times.
Times

Children, Schools and Families Bill received poorly

A range of responses have emerged since Ed Balls’ bill featured in yesterday’s Queen’s Speech.  Many of the responses focusing on the Government’s attempt to guarantee a good education to all by increasing LEAs’ powers to intervene when parents perceive a school to be performing poorly.
Guardian
BBC