In 3 sentences, describe how a particle accelerator works and give one example of the applications of the discoveries made with them.

A particle accelerator works by using electromagnetic fields to accelerate charged particles to high speeds and smash them together to study their interactions. By colliding particles at high energies, scientists can observe the fundamental forces and particles that make up the universe. One example of an application of discoveries made with particle accelerators is the development of new medical treatments, such as proton therapy for cancer treatment, which uses high-energy protons to precisely target tumors.