The Future of Physics: The New Large Hadron Collider
Beneath Geneva, one hundred meters underground, operates the largest scientific machine ever created by humanity– the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). With it, CERN has already confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson, helped explain the origin of mass, and uncovered numerous mysteries of the subatomic world. But this is just the beginning.
Scientists are now planning the next generation of accelerators, which will be even larger, more powerful, and more precise. The goal is no longer just to confirm known physics but to discover the new– what lies beyond the limits of our understanding.
—
From LHC to the Future: Why We Need a Bigger Collider
The Large Hadron Collider has been in operation for over fifteen years and has reached limits that once seemed impossible. Yet physicists are faced with the question: what comes next when all predicted particles have been discovered?
The Standard Model of physics does a great job of describing the world of fundamental particles, but it does not explain everything – it doesn’t know what dark matter is, why matter dominates over antimatter in the universe, and it does not include gravity. To find the answers, scientists need to create collisions with even greater energy and precision.
That’s why CERN has designed an ambitious project: the Future Circular Collider (FCC) – a circular accelerator with a circumference of 100 kilometers, nearly four times larger than the current LHC.
—
Future Circular Collider (FCC)
The FCC would stretch beneath Switzerland and France like a gigantic ring, built on the same principle as the LHC but with entirely new technologies. Its aim will be to achieve collision energies of up to 100 tera-electronvolts (TeV) – nearly seven times more than what the current collider can achieve.
The project will be divided into several phases:
1. FCC-ee – an electron-positron collider designed to precisely measure the properties of the Higgs boson and other particles.
2. FCC-hh – a hadron collider (protons) aimed at exploring new particles and physics beyond the Standard Model.
Construction is expected to begin around 2035, with the first experiments potentially starting around 2045. While this may seem distant, these are times in science measured with patience, as it involves projects being built for the next generation of researchers.
—
What Do Scientists Expect?
The FCC and the upgraded LHC are not just looking for new particles; they aim to understand the deepest laws of nature. Among the key objectives are:
– Investigation of dark matter:
Dark matter is thought to make up about 27% of the universe, yet it has never been directly detected. Colliders could reveal new particles that explain its existence.
– Understanding the Higgs field:
With precise measurements of the Higgs boson, scientists could discover whether there are other types of Higgs particles or hidden mechanisms that confer mass to the universe.
– Searching for supersymmetry:
This theory suggests that every known particle has a “superpartner.” If proven correct, it could unify all forces in nature – including gravity.
– Studying the beginnings of time:
Collisions at higher energies enable simulations of conditions from the first 10⁻¹² seconds after the Big Bang. This means we could literally “look back” at the birth of the universe.
—
From Science to Technology
Every generation of accelerators at CERN has brought **technological revolutions** that have permeated everyday life. From research emerged:
– the web (World Wide Web),
– advanced magnets,
– detectors used in medical diagnostics,
– superconducting technologies, and
– algorithms for big data processing, which are the basis for artificial intelligence.
Future projects will also require the development of new materials, quantum sensors, computing systems, and cooling technologies that are likely to transform industry, energy, and even ecology.
—
CERN and Global Collaboration
One of CERN’s strongest aspects is its international nature. More than 10,000 scientists from over 100 countries collaborate on its projects, including researchers from Slovenia. CERN is proof that humanity – despite political differences – can work as a unified community in the name of knowledge.
Future colliders will demand even more collaboration, funding, and joint will. The costs of the FCC are estimated at around 20 billion euros, but scientists emphasize that this is an investment in knowledge, technology, and the future of humanity.
A Look Beyond the Horizon
CERN is not just a laboratory; it is a time machine – not the kind from movies, but a real