CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, has proposed the construction of a next-generation particle accelerator known as the Future Circular Collider (FCC). This ambitious project, estimated to cost up to €20 billion, aims to surpass the capabilities of CERN’s current Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and push the boundaries of our understanding of physics.
The FCC would have a circumference of over 90 kilometers, making it significantly larger than the LHC. It would also collide protons at energies of 100 teraelectronvolts (TeV), compared to the LHC’s achievement of 14 TeV. The proposal was detailed in a report presented to CERN’s council, which consists of representatives from the organization’s 23 member states. The officials are seeking approval to begin work on the accelerator within the next five years.
One of the main motivations behind the FCC is to ensure a smooth transition from the LHC, which is expected to conclude its experimental runs in the 2040s. By starting construction sooner rather than later, scientists hope that the FCC will be ready to operate seamlessly once the LHC reaches its end.
CERN’s director general, Fabiola Gianotti, expressed her enthusiasm for the FCC during a briefing, stating that it would not only enhance our understanding of fundamental laws of physics and nature but also drive innovation. However, not everyone shares Gianotti’s vision. Some experts argue that the €20 billion price tag does not represent value for money and suggest that funds could be better allocated to research addressing pressing issues such as diseases or climate change.
Sir David King, a chemist and former chief scientific advisor for the British government, went as far as calling the project “reckless” in an interview with the BBC. He questioned whether it would be wiser to channel research funds into endeavors that aim to create a manageable future in the face of threats like the climate emergency.
Critics of the FCC also raise concerns about the potential lack of new breakthroughs. While the LHC confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson, a fundamental particle proposed in 1964, subsequent experiments have not yielded comparable findings. This leads some to question whether investing more resources into CERN is justified.
Gianotti, on the other hand, believes that new discoveries in physics can only be made by colliding subatomic particles at higher speeds, necessitating a larger and more powerful accelerator like the FCC. She argues that data collected from future experiments could provide insights into the properties of the Higgs boson and shed light on how particles gained mass shortly after the Big Bang. Additionally, the FCC could contribute to our understanding of dark matter, potentially ruling out certain classes of particles like weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs).
The proposal for the FCC represents an exciting and ambitious endeavor in the field of particle physics. While it has its fair share of critics who question its value and potential outcomes, proponents argue that pushing the boundaries of our knowledge is essential for scientific progress. As discussions and debates continue, it remains to be seen whether the FCC will become a reality and shape the future of particle physics.
