A nuclear particle accelerator is a device designed to produce a stream of ions that are directed along some path. This is typically achieved by first generating the ions, then causing them to pass through a large electrical potential difference in order to increase their energy even further. From there, a series of magnets are used to direct the high-energy beam towards a “target”. The beam interacts with the target material, producing radiations that are then made available for some predetermined use. For many years, accelerators were typically research tools. They have been used to make things radioactive, study the effects of radiation on materials, and even to explore our subatomic universe. Lately, however, accelerators have found good use in medicine and industry. In medicine, accelerators are used directly to treat diseases like cancer by irradiating tumors or lesions. They are also used to produce many of the radioactive elements that nuclear medicine departments in hospitals use for diagnosis and treatment. In industry, accelerators are used for a host of purposes, including food sterilization and isotope production.