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If only by virtue of their discipline you might expect particle physicists to be a fragmentary lot, rarely coalescing. But the opposite appears to be true.

Following on from their amazing collective organisation in pursuit of victory in The THES Research Opportunities balloon debate comes a fresh outbreak of cohesion. Large numbers of the particle party collected at the House of Commons to listen to heads of their research council being grilled by the science and technology select committee.

Even Ken Pounds, chief executive of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, was surprised by the numbers: "Yes it's a little worrying isn't it? We will have to put a stop it," he said laughing.

The THES can only agree since its reporter on the spot could not even get into the meeting for lack of somewhere to sit or stand.