Scientists are designing a powerful supercollider called the Future Circular Collider (FCC) that could revolutionize modern physics research and help solve mysteries about the nature of our universe. The FCC, which will be 8 times more powerful than the current largest collider, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), aims to explore the mysterious 95% of the universe made up of dark matter and dark energy. CERN, the European Council for Nuclear Research, plans to construct the FCC around the city of Geneva, with the tunnel running underneath France and Switzerland.
The need for a new supercollider arises from the fact that despite decades of research, scientists have only been able to understand 5% of the universe. The remaining 95% is composed of dark matter and dark energy, which remain largely unknown. By colliding particles at high speeds, physicists hope to uncover the properties and nature of these elusive substances.
The FCC will consist of two phases. The first phase involves building an electron-positron collider called the FCC-ee, also known as a “Higgs factory.” This collider will produce Higgs particles at a high rate and collect data with much greater precision than the LHC. In the second phase, CERN plans to upgrade the FCC-ee to a proton collider called the FCC-hh, which will have an energy potential 8 times larger than the LHC. Together, these two colliders could unlock new discoveries in fundamental forces and particles.
The construction of the FCC is a massive undertaking both financially and logistically. The 56-mile-long tunnel will cost around $15 billion to build, and CERN is collaborating with experts from 150 universities and research institutes worldwide to design and plan the project. If all goes well with the feasibility study and authorization process, tunnel construction will begin in the early 2030s and conclude around 2040. The first phase of the collider could start operating by 2045.
The significance of the FCC goes beyond scientific research. It has brought together communities from different academic and industrial backgrounds, fostering collaboration and unity. The impact of this collaboration on society is immeasurable, according to Michael Benedikt, the leader of the FCC feasibility study.
Overall, the Future Circular Collider represents a groundbreaking endeavor in the field of particle physics. With its unprecedented power and precision, it has the potential to push the boundaries of our understanding of the universe and answer some of the most profound questions in physics. The journey towards constructing this supercollider may be challenging, but the potential rewards are immense.