The new head of Cern, the world's premier particle physics laboratory, has a plan that will turn off one of its most powerful machines for years - a move that some are questioning as potentially holding back progress in the field.
Professor Mark Thomson, the 56-year-old Cambridge professor who takes over as director general of Cern next month, is about to embark on five years of overseeing the LHC's shutdown, replacing it with new superconducting magnets and detectors designed to squeeze protons into smaller, brighter beams. By June, the upgrade will make way for a new high-luminosity collider that promises even more precise measurements, potentially revealing new physics secrets.
However, one pressing question on everyone's mind - including Thomson's own scientists at Cern - is what comes next after the LHC reaches its end-of-life around 2041. The proposed Future Circular Collider (FCC) would be three times larger than the current machine and will require a massive investment of time, money, and international cooperation.
While some see it as an exciting new chapter in particle physics research, others are more skeptical about the project's ambition and its potential to answer fundamental questions in physics. One such mystery remains unresolved: why Higgs bosons gain varying masses, and how they interact with one another.
Thomson concedes that while the LHC upgrade will be a significant undertaking, Cern must press on, driven by "a passion for understanding the universe at its most fundamental level." But whether the high-luminosity LHC will unlock new breakthroughs remains to be seen. As the debate rages on over the feasibility of the FCC, one thing is clear: science at Cern has always been about pushing boundaries and taking risks - now more than ever.
Professor Mark Thomson, the 56-year-old Cambridge professor who takes over as director general of Cern next month, is about to embark on five years of overseeing the LHC's shutdown, replacing it with new superconducting magnets and detectors designed to squeeze protons into smaller, brighter beams. By June, the upgrade will make way for a new high-luminosity collider that promises even more precise measurements, potentially revealing new physics secrets.
However, one pressing question on everyone's mind - including Thomson's own scientists at Cern - is what comes next after the LHC reaches its end-of-life around 2041. The proposed Future Circular Collider (FCC) would be three times larger than the current machine and will require a massive investment of time, money, and international cooperation.
While some see it as an exciting new chapter in particle physics research, others are more skeptical about the project's ambition and its potential to answer fundamental questions in physics. One such mystery remains unresolved: why Higgs bosons gain varying masses, and how they interact with one another.
Thomson concedes that while the LHC upgrade will be a significant undertaking, Cern must press on, driven by "a passion for understanding the universe at its most fundamental level." But whether the high-luminosity LHC will unlock new breakthroughs remains to be seen. As the debate rages on over the feasibility of the FCC, one thing is clear: science at Cern has always been about pushing boundaries and taking risks - now more than ever.
I'm low-key worried about the long-term plan for Cern. Don't get me wrong, the upgrades to LHC are a big deal, but five years of downtime is a long time. What if the new detectors don't deliver on their promises? It feels like we're putting all our eggs in one basket with the Future Circular Collider... 
I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but let's be real, it's gonna be a wild ride 
. And what about those unanswered questions? I mean, Higgs bosons are still a mystery 
. Can we really afford to wait for the FCC to be built and tested before we get answers? 
. I mean, I get it, they gotta upgrade and all that, but 5 years without a major machine? That's like, a big chunk of time, you know? 
. I'm all for pushing boundaries and taking risks, but do we really need to be so aggressive about it? 
Can't they just take it one step at a time? 
Anyway, I guess we'll have to wait and see how this all plays out. 
. Like, what if someone discovers something amazing in those extra 5 yrs? 
On the other hand, if they do manage to squeeze more info out of it, maybe it'll be worth the wait 
. The thing is, we don't know what's gonna happen after that upgrade and even when the FCC comes along 
... some ppl might say it's all just a waste of cash 
. So maybe this is just the next step in understanding the universe 
? We'll just have to wait and see 
. But, I get why some people are skeptical about the Future Circular Collider (FCC) - it's a huge investment and we don't know if it'll live up to its promises 
. What's crazy is that they're trying to squeeze protons into smaller beams - like, what even is that technology? 
. It's like he's saying, "Hey, we might not know all the answers yet, but let's keep pushing and see where this takes us!" That's what science is all about, right? Taking risks and exploring new frontiers 
. The LHC upgrade is just the beginning - I'm excited to see what's next!
. Tho, I do think it's natural 2 wonder wot comes nxt after the LHC reaches its end-of-life 
. Prof Thomson's all about pushin boundaries & takin risks, which is what we need in this field 
. Can't just rest on laurels, gotta keep innovatin & movin forward 
.