Cern's New Boss Has a Plan - But it May Not Be to Everyone's Taste
Mark Thomson, a professor of experimental particle physics, is set to become the director general of CERN, the prestigious nuclear physics laboratory on the outskirts of Geneva. As he takes the reins, one thing is certain: his first move will be to switch off the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the largest scientific instrument ever built.
The LHC has made headlines with its groundbreaking discoveries, including the mysterious Higgs boson, which reveals how particles acquire mass. But Thomson's decision to shut down the machine for five years may seem counterintuitive. "It's a bit of a sacrifice," he acknowledges, but one that will allow the high-luminosity LHC upgrade to take center stage.
The new upgrade promises to raise the number of collisions tenfold and push the boundaries of what scientists can achieve. Thomson is excited about the prospect of unraveling long-standing mysteries, such as the nature of dark matter and dark energy. "It's incredibly exciting," he says. "We could see something completely unexpected."
However, not everyone shares Thomson's enthusiasm for the upgrade. The Future Circular Collider (FCC), a massive machine that would dwarf the LHC in scale and ambition, has sparked controversy among Cern's member states. With an estimated cost of 15 billion Swiss francs or £14 billion, the project poses significant engineering challenges and questions about its value.
Thomson acknowledges these concerns, but his response is resolute: "We've not got to the point where we have stopped making discoveries and the FCC is the natural progression. Our goal is to understand the universe at its most fundamental level." He stresses that Cern's work has a broader impact beyond just scientific breakthroughs, contributing to new technologies and fueling innovation.
As Thomson prepares to lead the next chapter in Cern's history, it remains to be seen whether his vision will align with the interests of the organization's member states. One thing is certain: the future of particle physics hangs in the balance, and the stakes are high.
Mark Thomson, a professor of experimental particle physics, is set to become the director general of CERN, the prestigious nuclear physics laboratory on the outskirts of Geneva. As he takes the reins, one thing is certain: his first move will be to switch off the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the largest scientific instrument ever built.
The LHC has made headlines with its groundbreaking discoveries, including the mysterious Higgs boson, which reveals how particles acquire mass. But Thomson's decision to shut down the machine for five years may seem counterintuitive. "It's a bit of a sacrifice," he acknowledges, but one that will allow the high-luminosity LHC upgrade to take center stage.
The new upgrade promises to raise the number of collisions tenfold and push the boundaries of what scientists can achieve. Thomson is excited about the prospect of unraveling long-standing mysteries, such as the nature of dark matter and dark energy. "It's incredibly exciting," he says. "We could see something completely unexpected."
However, not everyone shares Thomson's enthusiasm for the upgrade. The Future Circular Collider (FCC), a massive machine that would dwarf the LHC in scale and ambition, has sparked controversy among Cern's member states. With an estimated cost of 15 billion Swiss francs or £14 billion, the project poses significant engineering challenges and questions about its value.
Thomson acknowledges these concerns, but his response is resolute: "We've not got to the point where we have stopped making discoveries and the FCC is the natural progression. Our goal is to understand the universe at its most fundamental level." He stresses that Cern's work has a broader impact beyond just scientific breakthroughs, contributing to new technologies and fueling innovation.
As Thomson prepares to lead the next chapter in Cern's history, it remains to be seen whether his vision will align with the interests of the organization's member states. One thing is certain: the future of particle physics hangs in the balance, and the stakes are high.
... I mean, who shuts down the LHC without even considering the impact on their research? It's like they're deliberately trying to stall progress for some other fancy project that might not even work out. The FCC thing sounds like just another money pit 
and 15 billion Swiss francs is way too much to risk. I'm not convinced this new "vision" of Thomson's will somehow magically align with the interests of Cern's member states... it feels like a recipe for catastrophe 
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.
. The stats say the current LHC has already made 14 Nobel Prize-winning discoveries 
, and shutting it down might seem like a step backwards. However, the new upgrade will allow scientists to collect more data than ever before 
️.
. But on the other hand, 5 whole years without the LHC is like, what? 
That's a lotta time that could be spent making discoveries! And don't even get me started on the FCC – it sounds like a whole 'nother can of worms 
. I mean, I'm all for pushing boundaries and exploring new ideas, but 15 billion Swiss francs? 
That's some serious cash 
. He's got a point about Cern's work having a broader impact on society than just science-y breakthroughs 
. But it's still gonna be interesting to see how the member states react 
. Will they get on board with Thomson's vision, or will they try to steer him in a different direction? Only time (and maybe some serious negotiating) will tell 
!
... but at the same time, upgrading the thing is super important too... i mean, who doesn't want to know more about dark matter & energy? 
meanwhile, the FCC project sounds like a game changer 
Anywayz, this new upgrade is supposed to be amazin', but I'm not sure if it's worth 15 billion Swiss francs or whatever... 
Can you imagine the engineering challenges they'll face? 
also there's this other thing called the fcc that's supposed to be super huge and expensive 
15 billion francs is wild! what do u guys think? should cern keep pushing sci goals or listen to concerns from member states? 
. We might get some major breakthroughs just because we took a step back to refocus 
, we're gonna be waiting for ages 
. I mean, I can see why scientists would want to upgrade the LHC, but 10 times more collisions might just lead to new discoveries 
but at the same time, upgrading it to make it even more powerful? 
that's some next-level thinking. I'm curious to see how this all plays out, esp with the whole FCC thing... is it really worth the $$ 
, that's def worth exploring. Just hope they don't get too caught up in the politics and lose sight of what really matters 
cant wait to see what they come up with after the fcc is done 
I know some people might be like "but what about the LHC?" but honestly, a five-year shutdown could be just what they needed to get some upgrades done and get back to making some serious breakthroughs. And let's be real, that new high-luminosity upgrade is going to be HUGE 
. Of course, there are some concerns about the FCC project, but I'm sure Mark's all over that too. At the end of the day, it's not about the machine itself, it's about pushing the boundaries of human understanding and making a dent in the universe 
. Bring it on! 
Is £14 billion worth it for the FCC project tho? 
No one knows what's gonna happen during that time tho... could be a major breakthrough or just a waste of resources 
from tech innovations to fueling innovation, cerns research is having a tangible impact 
so lets keep an open mind & support mark thomson in his vision 
. As a non-expert, it's hard for me to understand the technicalities behind these decisions, but I do know that Cern's research has the potential to benefit humanity in many ways 
.