Isn’t it fascinating how science and engineering continuously push the boundaries of what we know about the universe cosmic? One captivating fact is the ingenious use of technology to facilitate groundbreaking research, such as freezing an underground river to build the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The LHC, hailed as a marvel of modern science, played a pivotal role in completing the puzzle of the Standard Model with the discovery of the elusive Higgs Boson. However, its capabilities have not stopped scientists from striving for greater achievements in the realm of particle physics.
Enter the Future Circular Collider (FCC), a visionary project that aims to surpass the LHC in both scale and energy. With plans for a collider three times longer than the LHC and the ability to smash particles together with unprecedented energy, the FCC promises to propel high-energy physics research into the next century.
But envisioning such a colossal undertaking comes with its own set of challenges. From navigating geological considerations to optimizing collider efficiency and minimizing environmental impacts, the design and engineering of the FCC require meticulous planning and innovative solutions.
Proposed to be housed within a 100-kilometer underground tunnel spanning across France and Switzerland, the FCC will consist of two colliders working sequentially: the electron-positron collider (FCC-ee) and the proton-proton collider (FCC-hh). The FCC-ee aims to deliver unparalleled precision measurements, while the FCC-hh will surpass the LHC’s energy capabilities eightfold.
Scheduled for inauguration in the mid-2040s, the FCC holds the promise of unlocking new realms of physics by pushing particle collision energies to unprecedented levels of 100 TeV. To achieve this ambitious goal, collaboration among over 150 universities worldwide is essential, driving the development of cutting-edge technological advancements.
As scientists and engineers continue to push the boundaries of particle physics, the FCC stands as a testament to humanity’s insatiable curiosity and unwavering pursuit of knowledge about the universe’s deepest mysteries. With each leap forward, we inch closer to unraveling the secrets of the cosmos and understanding our place within it.
Reference: https://www.sciencealert.com/first-phase-of-europes-huge-new-atom-smasher-could-be-20-years-away
