Mark Thompson, a renowned expert in particle physics, has just been appointed as the director general of Cern, the prestigious nuclear physics laboratory near Geneva. However, what might be seen as an unusual move - he's shutting down the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) soon after taking over - seems to be exactly what he had planned.
Thompson is ecstatic about the prospect of working with the machine, which has been instrumental in discovering groundbreaking elements such as the Higgs boson. However, for him, this is just the beginning of a new chapter. The LHC's shutdown allows for significant engineering work, including a major upgrade that promises to revolutionize the field of particle physics.
The high-luminosity LHC project aims to raise the number of collisions in the machine tenfold and strengthen its detectors. This will enable scientists to analyze data more accurately and uncover new insights into the fundamental nature of matter. For Thompson, this is an exciting opportunity - one that he believes holds the key to unlocking some of physics' most enduring mysteries.
On his watch, however, there's another project on the horizon: the Future Circular Collider (FCC). This colossal machine would be more than three times the size of the LHC and would require a massive new tunnel system. The question remains whether Cern's member states can afford this ambitious undertaking, which is already projected to cost over £14 billion.
Thompson acknowledges that the engineering challenge is considerable, but his attitude suggests he's undeterred by the doubts surrounding the project's viability. What's at stake here isn't just advancing our understanding of particle physics - it's Cern's very status as a global leader in this field.
The stakes are high, and opinions on whether the FCC is the right next step for Cern are divided. For Thompson, however, the answer lies in pushing forward with science. As he puts it, "We're not giving up yet." The future of particle physics hangs in the balance, but one thing's certain: Mark Thompson is ready to take on the challenge head-on.
Thompson is ecstatic about the prospect of working with the machine, which has been instrumental in discovering groundbreaking elements such as the Higgs boson. However, for him, this is just the beginning of a new chapter. The LHC's shutdown allows for significant engineering work, including a major upgrade that promises to revolutionize the field of particle physics.
The high-luminosity LHC project aims to raise the number of collisions in the machine tenfold and strengthen its detectors. This will enable scientists to analyze data more accurately and uncover new insights into the fundamental nature of matter. For Thompson, this is an exciting opportunity - one that he believes holds the key to unlocking some of physics' most enduring mysteries.
On his watch, however, there's another project on the horizon: the Future Circular Collider (FCC). This colossal machine would be more than three times the size of the LHC and would require a massive new tunnel system. The question remains whether Cern's member states can afford this ambitious undertaking, which is already projected to cost over £14 billion.
Thompson acknowledges that the engineering challenge is considerable, but his attitude suggests he's undeterred by the doubts surrounding the project's viability. What's at stake here isn't just advancing our understanding of particle physics - it's Cern's very status as a global leader in this field.
The stakes are high, and opinions on whether the FCC is the right next step for Cern are divided. For Thompson, however, the answer lies in pushing forward with science. As he puts it, "We're not giving up yet." The future of particle physics hangs in the balance, but one thing's certain: Mark Thompson is ready to take on the challenge head-on.
Mark Thompson just became the new director gen of Cern & he's already making waves by shutting down the LHC lol but seriously its a major upgrade project that will make the field of particle physics SO much better 
the high-luminosity LHC project is gonna be lit 
with 10x more collisions & stronger detectors itll help us uncover new secrets about matter 
and now theres this huge question about the FCC tho 
its a massive £14billion project that needs to happen but will Cerns member states even have the cash? 
i mean its undeniably ambitious but mark thompson is like "we're not giving up yet" 
and im literally here for it 
! Im all for it tho, the future circular collider project is gonna be SO EPIC 
idk about the cost tho, £14 billion is crazy 
Thompson seems so stoked about it and thats all that matters 
. Can't wait to see what other breakthroughs we'll get outta this 
...I mean, what about all the research that got cut short with the LHC shutdown? Are they just gonna put all their eggs in one massive basket and hope for the best? 
. I'm all for pushing the boundaries of science, but can't we take a step back and assess the feasibility of this thing first? 
wut r the chances of him getting the FCC off the ground tho? £14 billion is like a whole lotta cash 
and i'm all for it! bring on the science and the excitement 
.
. He's all about pushing forward with science and not giving up on the big ideas 
with this new upgrade & FCC project! I mean, 10x more collisions? That's like, whoa! 
... I say let's do it! 