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Although the current machine is unable to reveal further information about the dark energy of the universe, it is hoped that its giant successor will be given the green light to begin construction in the 2040s.
Monday 5 February 2024 11:21 UK
Scientists at CERN, home to the world’s largest particle accelerator, have proposed a new “super collider” that they hope will help unlock 95% of the secrets of the universe.
The future circular collider (FCC) will be heir of the giant The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is located in a tunnel 17 miles underground near Geneva, Switzerland, but the new machine has also faced criticism because of its £17bn price tag.
The LHC, which began operation in 2008, achieved its first high-energy particle collision in 2010, and in recent years series of upgrades.
Subatomic particles are accelerated to nearly the speed of light and then collided with each other.
The LHC has discovered the Higgs boson, the so-called “God particle.” This has allowed researchers to better understand where the mass of matter comes from.
But we still haven’t unlocked the secrets of dark matter and dark energy, little-known forces and particles that could help scientists better understand the universe.
The new proposal will be submitted as part of the FCC study by CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) and will be paid for by member states, including the UK, who are considering the project.
The FCC is scheduled to begin construction in the 2040s and have a circumference of more than 56 miles, with the goal of “pushing the frontiers of energy and intensity in particle collider” and will attract universities and experts from around the world. I’m joining.
CERN Director-General Professor Fabiola Gianotti told BBC News: “This is a tool that will enable humanity to make significant progress in answering fundamental physics questions about our knowledge of the universe.”
“And to do that, we need stronger tools.”
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The price and size of the new machine have drawn criticism from other experts.
Professor Sir David King, Britain’s former chief scientific adviser, told the BBC: “At a time when the world faces the threat of a climate emergency, these research funds could be better redirected to efforts to create a manageable future. Isn’t that wise?”
According to CERN, the planet’s next super collider will consume as much energy as a “medium-sized city,” but the FCC says it will “take as much energy as its most power-consuming rivals to achieve the same physical goals.” He added that it uses only one-sixth of the amount.
It claims that FCC’s carbon footprint is “only 1% of the most polluting alternatives.”
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