Mark Thomson, a Cambridge professor, has just been handed the keys to Cern's operations - but instead of using them to push the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to even greater heights, he'll soon turn it off for five years.
The decision may seem counterintuitive, especially since Thomson is taking over at one of the most coveted jobs in global science. But to him, this shutdown is a strategic move. "The machine is running brilliantly and we're recording huge amounts of data," he explains. "There's going to be plenty to analyse over the period."
When it comes online again, the LHC will be upgraded with powerful new magnets, making its proton beams brighter and allowing scientists to detect even more subtle signs of new physics collisions. It's a major upgrade that could raise the stakes for Thomson - who will be overseeing this work for nearly five years.
However, there's another project looming on the horizon: the Future Circular Collider (FCC), which promises to be even bigger and more ambitious. If approved by Cern's member states in 2028, it would be a massive undertaking involving new construction, billions of dollars in funding, and a lot of uncertainty about what exactly it will achieve.
The problem is that nobody quite knows if the FCC is the right machine for making groundbreaking discoveries. The LHC has already delivered significant breakthroughs, including the Higgs boson discovery, but there are still many unanswered questions about the universe - like what's driving dark matter and dark energy?
Thomson acknowledges this uncertainty, saying, "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... And this is absolutely not the time to give up."
While some might see this as a high-stakes gamble, Thomson seems unfazed. He's been in the field long enough to know that sometimes it takes a step back to move forward. As he gears up for his five-year stint at Cern, one thing is clear: the future of particle physics hangs precariously in the balance - and Thomson is determined to be part of shaping its next chapter.
The decision may seem counterintuitive, especially since Thomson is taking over at one of the most coveted jobs in global science. But to him, this shutdown is a strategic move. "The machine is running brilliantly and we're recording huge amounts of data," he explains. "There's going to be plenty to analyse over the period."
When it comes online again, the LHC will be upgraded with powerful new magnets, making its proton beams brighter and allowing scientists to detect even more subtle signs of new physics collisions. It's a major upgrade that could raise the stakes for Thomson - who will be overseeing this work for nearly five years.
However, there's another project looming on the horizon: the Future Circular Collider (FCC), which promises to be even bigger and more ambitious. If approved by Cern's member states in 2028, it would be a massive undertaking involving new construction, billions of dollars in funding, and a lot of uncertainty about what exactly it will achieve.
The problem is that nobody quite knows if the FCC is the right machine for making groundbreaking discoveries. The LHC has already delivered significant breakthroughs, including the Higgs boson discovery, but there are still many unanswered questions about the universe - like what's driving dark matter and dark energy?
Thomson acknowledges this uncertainty, saying, "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... And this is absolutely not the time to give up."
While some might see this as a high-stakes gamble, Thomson seems unfazed. He's been in the field long enough to know that sometimes it takes a step back to move forward. As he gears up for his five-year stint at Cern, one thing is clear: the future of particle physics hangs precariously in the balance - and Thomson is determined to be part of shaping its next chapter.
like whats the point of not making any new discoveries? we need that $$, lol what if they cant figure out dark matter & energy? might take them 10 yrs or more to get it right 
and then its too late. just my two cents tho 
I'm so stoked that Mark Thomson is taking over at Cern, but 5 years without using the LHC is a total mind-bender 
. Like, I get it about upgrading the machine with new magnets, but what if they just find something way more interesting during this downtime? 
It's like, are we really going to sit on our hands for 5 whole years waiting for the FCC project to be approved? 
. One thing is for sure - the future of particle physics is looking more complicated than ever 
. But I guess even Mark Thomson knows when to hold back. Five years without LHC? That's a big risk... but at the same time, it sounds like they're trying to make it better for the future 
.
. But hey, if Thomson thinks he can make a difference, more power to him 
. We'll just have to wait and see what happens next... this is gonna be wild! 
... what if it's another waste of resources? 
But at the same time, I trust Thomson and his team, they've been doing this for ages 
. It's just that the uncertainty around dark matter and dark energy is pretty crazy 
... like, what's up with that?! 
. I mean, LHC is already doing so much for us, right? Like, we've found the Higgs boson and all that 
. I get what Mark Thomson is saying about taking a step back to move forward, but isn't that just slowing things down? Like, don't they want to keep pushing the boundaries of physics or something? 
.
maybe he's right & this is exactly what its meant to be. all this hype around FCC is just that - hype. lets not forget whats already been accomplished w/ LHC. 5 yrs off isnt a long time, might as well use the downtime to prep for next gen collidah 
. now the real question is whether the future circular collider (fcc) is even worth it? 
, but if nobody really knows what the fcc is supposed to achieve, why bother? 
