The World's Largest Particle Collider Takes a Breather Under New Director
Mark Thomson, a renowned particle physicist, has just taken the reins as director general of CERN, the iconic nuclear physics laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. As he prepares to steer the massive scientific operation, Thomson is aware that his tenure will be marked by a five-year pause – a deliberate shutdown of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the most complex and ambitious instrument ever built.
The LHC, a 27km-long marvel of engineering, accelerates protons to nearly light speed, recreating conditions around the Big Bang. Its groundbreaking discovery of the Higgs boson has left scientists awestruck, but Thomson is more excited about the upgrades on the horizon than the machine itself. The high-luminosity LHC project, set to begin in June, promises to revolutionize particle physics by increasing collisions tenfold and unveiling new secrets.
The stakes are high for Thomson, who will need to navigate the complexities of a massive upgrade while keeping his team's morale up. "It's incredibly exciting," he says. "We're on the cusp of something revolutionary." The high-luminosity LHC could lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of fundamental laws and mysteries, including dark matter and dark energy.
However, a far more daunting challenge awaits Thomson: the Future Circular Collider (FCC), a behemoth machine that would surpass the LHC in size and scale. Estimated at 15bn Swiss francs or £14bn, the FCC is an engineering feat of unprecedented proportions. But with CERN's member states still debating its viability, Thomson faces the daunting task of securing funding for this ambitious project.
Will the world leader in particle physics retain its edge? Other nations, like the US and China, are also vying for supremacy in high-energy research. "We're not stopping discoveries," Thomson reassures. His mantra is clear: to unravel the universe's most fundamental mysteries, no matter what the cost or controversy.
As the next five years unfold under Thomson's direction, one thing remains certain – CERN will continue to push the boundaries of human knowledge, leaving scientists and policymakers alike in awe of its unwavering ambition.
Mark Thomson, a renowned particle physicist, has just taken the reins as director general of CERN, the iconic nuclear physics laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. As he prepares to steer the massive scientific operation, Thomson is aware that his tenure will be marked by a five-year pause – a deliberate shutdown of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the most complex and ambitious instrument ever built.
The LHC, a 27km-long marvel of engineering, accelerates protons to nearly light speed, recreating conditions around the Big Bang. Its groundbreaking discovery of the Higgs boson has left scientists awestruck, but Thomson is more excited about the upgrades on the horizon than the machine itself. The high-luminosity LHC project, set to begin in June, promises to revolutionize particle physics by increasing collisions tenfold and unveiling new secrets.
The stakes are high for Thomson, who will need to navigate the complexities of a massive upgrade while keeping his team's morale up. "It's incredibly exciting," he says. "We're on the cusp of something revolutionary." The high-luminosity LHC could lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of fundamental laws and mysteries, including dark matter and dark energy.
However, a far more daunting challenge awaits Thomson: the Future Circular Collider (FCC), a behemoth machine that would surpass the LHC in size and scale. Estimated at 15bn Swiss francs or £14bn, the FCC is an engineering feat of unprecedented proportions. But with CERN's member states still debating its viability, Thomson faces the daunting task of securing funding for this ambitious project.
Will the world leader in particle physics retain its edge? Other nations, like the US and China, are also vying for supremacy in high-energy research. "We're not stopping discoveries," Thomson reassures. His mantra is clear: to unravel the universe's most fundamental mysteries, no matter what the cost or controversy.
As the next five years unfold under Thomson's direction, one thing remains certain – CERN will continue to push the boundaries of human knowledge, leaving scientists and policymakers alike in awe of its unwavering ambition.
he's talkin' revolutionary stuff, and i'm all in on that 
the future circular collider might seem like a behemoth, but trust me, it's worth the investment. we need cern to keep shakin' things up in particle physics! 
They're making scientists work 6 months a year for 5 years just so they can "test" their theories... meanwhile, the real game-changer is the FCC, and nobody's talking about it. 
It's like CERN's playing catch-up with other nations who are investing in real research, not just fancy new machines 
. seriously though, 15bn francs for a new collider? 
! The fact that he's going into a 5-year pause with the LHC is actually super cool – it means they get to upgrade and make it even better 
it's gonna be wild watching him navigate the upgrade process and deal with all that FCC drama 
but like, can we talk about how revolutionary the high-luminosity LHC project is? 
AND YEAH, THE FCC IS A BIG DEAL BUT I HOPE THOMSON GETS THE FUNDING HE NEEDS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! 
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. The US and China are all about pushin' the limits too, and CERN needs to stay ahead of the curve 
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as for thefcc idk man 15bn francs is like wow thats a lot of cash 