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Scientists are working on designs for a novel accelerator that has the potential to collide particles with a higher intensity than what is currently achievable, with the aim of revealing insights into some of the largest enigmas of the Universe.
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), operated by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), is expected to finish its operations by 2040. Experts are currently considering potential replacements for the LHC.
Preliminary calculations indicate that the recently named Future Circular Collider (FCC) would have a price tag of approximately £13.7 billion (15 billion Swiss Francs).
The plan is to construct it inside a tunnel that is approximately 91 kilometers long and located at a depth of 100 to 400 meters beneath French and Swiss land.
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The FCC will serve as an unparalleled tool for studying the laws of physics and nature at both the micro and macro levels, with a focus on the most extreme energies.
By utilizing the greatest amounts of energy, the experiment aims to collide particles in order to potentially revolutionize the field of physics and enhance our comprehension of the workings of the Universe.
On Monday, Cern reported that a mid-term feasibility study did not uncover any major technical issues.
In addition, the assessment was able to determine the optimal placement for the project’s infrastructure and the dimensions of the proposed tunnel.
The Large Hadron Collider discovered the Higgs Boson in 2012, offering a fresh perspective on the Universe.
Despite extensive research, dark matter and dark energy have yet to be fully understood. Scientists are optimistic that the new collider will provide insights into some of the most perplexing questions in the field of science.
Professor Fabiola Gianotti, the director general of Cern, stated that the FCC will serve as an unparalleled tool for investigating the laws of physics and nature, focusing on both the smallest scales and the highest energies.
She stated, “This will enable us to tackle some of the unanswered inquiries in fundamental physics, regarding our understanding of the basic building blocks of matter and the formation and development of the Universe.”
Addressing critics who suggest the project is very expensive, and there are no guarantees it will answer outstanding questions about the Universe, Eliezer Rabinovici, president of the Cern council, said the aim was to build “discovery machines”, and not “confirmation machines”.
Gianotti stated that the facility and experimental equipment were not constructed to simply validate predictions or calculations.
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“Our objective is to tackle unresolved inquiries, which in turn leads to the development of theories and potential solutions for addressing them.”
“Nature may have taken a different course. Our objective is to examine the unresolved issue and attempt to uncover the answer that has been determined by nature.”
Currently, we do not have a defined theoretical direction for our search. However, it is during these times of uncertainty that we must create instruments as we are unsure of how nature will provide an answer to our question.
“With the use of these instruments, we can take a significant leap forward in answering the question or even guiding us towards asking the correct questions.”
If given the green light, the FCC may begin operations in the early to mid-2040s.
According to Professor Tim Gershon, a member of the elementary particle physics group at the University of Warwick, the proposed Future Circular Collider by Cern aims to tackle this issue.
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This technology will allow for precise measurement of the characteristics of the Higgs Boson, which in turn will offer new perspectives on the Universe.
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This is expected to offer explanations for key fundamental inquiries about the cosmos, including events in its initial stages.
The most recent update on the ongoing FCC feasibility studies is promising. In the best-case scenario, the new collider could begin producing data in approximately 20 years from now.
“However, there is still a significant distance to cover.”
The source of this information is the website independent.co.uk.
