- EXPLORE FURTHER: 'Infant images' reveal the universe 380,000 years following the Big Bang
The construction of the Large Hadron Collider, which stands as the world's largest particle accelerator, spanned two decades and cost around £6 billion.
Currently, researchers aim to create an even bigger version that will cost double what they initially planned.
{getToc} $title={Table of Contents} $count={Boolean}
The £13 billion 'Future Circular Collider' (FCC), spanning an impressive 56.5 miles (91 kilometers) beneath the ground, will be located at the Swiss-French border.
The FCC will be almost four times stronger than the Large HadronCollider (LHC), which has been operational since 2010.
Referred to as the 'largest particle collider globally,' the FCC has the potential to deliver groundbreaking physics findings that elucidate the architecture and progression of our universe.
Fabiola Gianotti, the Director-General of CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research), stated that this facility has the potential to be "the most remarkable tool ever constructed by humankind for exploring the basic components and underlying principles of nature."
Nevertheless, not all parties support the initiative — critics are calling for CERN to halt the project, arguing that it might release millions of tons of harmful, climate-changing CO2.
What's more, critics have raised concerns that the FCC would begin operations in the mid-2040s but run for only about two decades or less.
CERN has unveiled comprehensive plans for the FCC, an idea that was proposed more than ten years ago.
The organization projects that the expense for excavating a 56.5-mile (91km) circular tunnel and constructing the facility will be around £13.4 billion ($17.4 billion).
The suggested Future Circular Collider is expected to operate between 15 to 20 years starting around 2040, coinciding with the period when the LHC ceases operations.
Similar to the LHC, the FCC would propel subatomic particles to nearly the speed of light within its underground tunnel, prior to colliding them with one another.
{getCard} $type={post} $title={You might like}
Physicists employ superconducting magnets to propel particles at such high velocities before using detectors to record the collisions.
These impacts generate a surge of new particles, which physicists document and analyze to gain deeper insights into the fundamental components of our natural world.
The forthcoming device will not only be almost quadruple the size, but it will also feature magnets twice as strong for increased potency.
It might eventually assist in unraveling numerous enigmas of the cosmos, such as dark matter and dark energy, which remain hidden from our view.
CERN stated that it is impossible to precisely determine the specific advantages the new collider would provide to society; however, they highlighted that the 1897 discovery of the electron was instrumental in establishing the electronics industry.
In 2012, the LHC grabbed attention when it confirmed the discovery of the Higgs boson—the mysterious particle often referred to as the God particle—which played a crucial role in explaining the formation of matter following the Big Bang.
The Higgs boson is an essential component of the Standard Model in particle physics, representing our most comprehensive explanation of cosmic functioning.
Nevertheless, doubts persist regarding the funding of this project—and it is still uncertain whether CERN’s member countries will bear the cost.
The 23 European nations, along with Israel, which are members of CERN must determine by 2028 if they will provide the necessary funding.
Arnaud Marsollier, a spokesperson for CERN, attempted to alleviate these worries by asserting that as much as 80 percent of the FCC's expenses might be absorbed by the organization’s funding.
However, scientists, environmentally conscious organizations, and local farmers remain unconvinced about its necessity and safety for the ecosystem.
In a report, the environmental organization Noe21 Critiqued the "excessive" initiative, highlighting its "skyrocketing" energy usage, expense, and effect on the environment.
Extracting 16 million tons of rock for this project could lead to emissions of millions of tons of CO2, which raises concerns particularly because the scientific advantages remain unclear.
Thierry Perrillat, a dairy farmer from Roche-sur-Foron in France, stated that the proposed collider would consume 'five hectares of our farm,' comparing it to 'a clash between David and Goliath.'
Sabine Hossenfelder, a theoretical physicist from the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, believes that the funds required for constructing the FCC would be more beneficially utilized in other areas.
This money would be better utilized for a lunar radio telescope, a space-based gravitational wave detector, or additional direct research grants.
'Hossenfelder told Nature that there isn’t any justification for assuming new physics will emerge within the energy range accessible by this type of collider.'
That's the horrific scenario that haunts everyone's thoughts yet remains unspoken.
Olivier Cepas, a physicist from the Neel Institute at the University of Grenoble, described the 'financial, ecological, and operational costs' as astronomical.
He informed AFP that it would be more advantageous to finance smaller scientific initiatives.
Sir David King, who previously served as the chief scientific advisor to the UK government, stated that he is "not in favor" of FCC and acknowledged that the particle physics community is divided on this issue.
"We can continue developing more powerful systems, and as a result, we will discover new particles," he said to The Times.
However, this science may not address the most urgent issues we encounter on our planet.
The FCC has already received unanimous approval from the CERN Council, but now CERN has issued feasibility studies concerning the physics, technical setup, safety aspects, and additional elements.
Nevertheless, obtaining consent from CERN does not guarantee its implementation, as it must still acquire financial support from the organization's member nations.