From RHIC to LHC: First Lessons

The first heavy-ion run at the LHC with Pb+Pb collisions at roots_NN = 2.76 TeV took place in the fall of 2010. In a short and relatively low luminosity run, the three detectors, ALICE, ATLAS and CMS showcased an impressive performance and produced a wealth of a high quality results. This article compares the new LHC results with those accumulated over the last decade at RHIC, focussing on the quantitative and qualitative differences between the different energy regimes of these two facilities.