CERN Proposes $17 Billion Supercollider to Unlock Universe Secrets

Scientists at CERN are pushing forward with plans for a massive new machine designed to supersede the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Known as the Future Circular Collider (FCC), this proposed project carries a price tag of roughly $17 billion (15 billion Swiss Francs) and aims to uncover the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. If approved, it represents the most ambitious particle physics project in history.

The Future Circular Collider: A Giant Leap in Scale

The current LHC is famous for its 27-kilometer (17-mile) circular tunnel buried beneath the border of France and Switzerland. It was the machine responsible for confirming the existence of the Higgs boson in 2012. However, physicists argue that the LHC has reached the limits of what it can tell us about the fundamental architecture of the universe.

The proposed FCC would be significantly larger. The plan calls for a new circular tunnel approximately 91 kilometers (56 miles) in circumference. This massive ring would encircle Geneva and pass under Lake Geneva, creating a subterranean track nearly three times the length of the current LHC.

A Two-Stage Strategy

The proposal outlines a phased approach spanning the rest of this century:

• Phase 1 (FCC-ee): This stage involves an electron-positron collider. Scheduled to begin operation around the mid-2040s, its primary job is to function as a “Higgs factory.” By colliding lighter particles, it produces very clean data, allowing scientists to study the properties of the Higgs boson with extreme precision.
• Phase 2 (FCC-hh): Sometime around the 2070s, the machine would be dismantled and replaced with a proton-proton collider. This beast would use powerful superconducting magnets to smash particles together at energy levels of 100 tera-electronvolts (TeV). For comparison, the LHC currently operates at a maximum of 13.6 TeV.

Why Do We Need a bigger Collider?

The Standard Model of particle physics is the current theory explaining how the universe works. While it is incredibly successful, it is also glaringly incomplete. It explains three of the four fundamental forces but leaves out gravity entirely. Furthermore, it fails to explain dark matter and dark energy, which together make up roughly 95% of the universe.

Physicists believe that colliding particles at higher energies will reveal “new physics” beyond the Standard Model. The goal is to find heavy particles that the LHC simply does not have the power to create.

Specific scientific targets include:

• Dark Matter Candidates: Identifying the particles that create the invisible mass holding galaxies together.
• Matter-Antimatter Asymmetry: Solving the mystery of why the universe is made mostly of matter, rather than an equal mix of matter and antimatter.
• Higgs Self-Coupling: Understanding how Higgs bosons interact with one another might reveal the stability of the universe’s vacuum.

The Cost and The Critics

The financial investment required for the FCC is staggering. The initial construction cost for the tunnel and the first-phase machine is estimated at nearly $17 billion. This funding would come from CERN’s member states, which include 23 nations such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy.

This high cost has sparked debate within the scientific community.

Arguments for the FCC: Proponents argue that high-energy physics is purely exploratory. You cannot know what you will find until you look. They point to the fact that technologies developed for previous colliders, such as the World Wide Web and medical imaging tech (PET scans), have revolutionized society.

Arguments against the FCC: Critics, such as theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder, argue that there is no guarantee the FCC will find anything new. They suggest the money could be better spent on other areas of physics, such as quantum computing or climate research, or on smaller, more targeted astrophysics experiments.

Additionally, there is geopolitical competition. China is currently planning its own supercollider, the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC), which aims to be cheaper and potentially operational sooner than CERN’s project.

Engineering Challenges

Building the FCC is not just a financial hurdle; it is a geological and engineering marathon.

1. Tunneling: Excavating a 91-kilometer tunnel requires navigating complex geology under the Jura Mountains and Lake Geneva.
2. Magnets: The second phase (FCC-hh) requires magnets capable of generating magnetic fields stronger than anything currently available on a large scale. Research is currently underway to develop high-temperature superconducting magnets to make this feasible.
3. Energy Consumption: A machine of this size consumes immense amounts of electricity. CERN has stated that energy efficiency is a priority, aiming to recycle waste heat to warm nearby homes in the Geneva region.

Timeline for Approval

The project is currently in the feasibility study phase. The CERN Council is expected to make a final decision on whether to proceed with the project around 2028. If approved, civil engineering and tunnel excavation would likely begin in the mid-2030s.

While the $17 billion price tag is high, the project is framed as a long-term investment spread over decades. It ensures that Europe remains the center of high-energy physics well into the 22nd century.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to the LHC? The Large Hadron Collider is still operational. It recently underwent upgrades and is currently in its “Run 3” phase. It is expected to continue running, including a “High-Luminosity” upgrade, until roughly 2040.

Will the FCC create a black hole? This is a common fear that originated with the LHC. Safety reviews have consistently shown that particle collisions in these machines pose no danger. Cosmic rays with far higher energies than the FCC can produce hit the Earth’s atmosphere constantly without creating dangerous black holes.

Who pays for the supercollider? CERN is funded by its member states. The cost is shared among countries based on their Net National Income. Major contributors include Germany, the UK, France, and Italy. Non-member states like the US and Japan also contribute to specific experiments.

Why is the tunnel circular? Circular colliders allow particles to pass the acceleration points millions of times, gaining energy with every lap. This makes it easier to reach high energy levels compared to linear colliders, where particles only have one straight shot to accelerate before collision.