Leading scientists at the world’s largest particle accelerator have unveiled a blueprint for a significantly larger successor, aimed at deepening research into unresolved mysteries of physics. The Future Circular Collider (FCC), a 91-kilometre underground loop spanning the French-Swiss border and beneath Lake Geneva, has been in development for about a decade. The detailed plans, published late Monday, mark a crucial step forward for CERN (the European Organisation for Nuclear Research).

According to Giorgio Chiarelli, a research director at Italy’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics, the FCC will conduct high-precision experiments in the 2040s to enhance the understanding of known physics. A second phase, planned for 2070, will introduce high-energy proton and heavy ion collisions, potentially unveiling new discoveries. Chiarelli emphasized that historical trends in physics show that increased data often leads to unforeseen insights.

CERN has been working on a successor to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which currently operates within a 27-kilometre underground tunnel using magnetic fields to accelerate and collide particles at near-light speeds. The new collider aims to generate energy levels 10 times higher than the LHC, enabling the creation of heavier particles, said CERN spokesperson Arnaud Marsollier.

The FCC blueprint outlines its scientific objectives, environmental impact, and estimated costs. Independent experts will review the proposal before CERN’s 24 member states (primarily European, plus Israel) vote in 2028 on whether to proceed with construction. The first phase is expected to cost around 14 billion Swiss francs (approximately USD 16 billion).

CERN officials highlight the potential for groundbreaking scientific advancements that could drive innovation in cryogenics, superconducting magnets, and vacuum technology, benefiting various industries. Experts also see the FCC as a tool to expand knowledge of the Higgs boson, the elusive particle—sometimes controversially called the "God particle"—that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang. The Higgs boson’s existence was confirmed in 2013 at CERN, solidifying its role in the Standard Model of particle physics.

Dave Toback, a physics professor at Texas A&M University, described the FCC proposal as a significant milestone. However, he stressed that its feasibility depends on thorough scientific, engineering, and political evaluations, particularly in an era of global uncertainty. CERN researchers and partners considered over 100 designs before finalizing the 91-kilometre circumference at an average depth of 200 metres. The proposed tunnel, measuring 5 metres in diameter, would house the next-generation collider, pushing the frontiers of particle physics for decades to come.

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