As CERN turns 70, it searches for ways to finance the next big thing

  • October 1, 2024
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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As CERN turns 70, it searches for ways to finance the next big thing

Sub :Sci

Sec: Nuclear sector

Context:

  • CERN, the world-renowned particle physics lab, faces a significant challenge: securing $17 billion in funding for its next major project, the Future Circular Collider (FCC).

About CERN:

  • CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research.
  • Founded in 1954, CERN’s main focus is particle physics – the study of the fundamental constituents of matter and the forces between them.
  • Location:Geneva, Switzerland (main site), straddling the Franco-Swiss border
  • Founded: 1954
  • Member States: 23 as of 2024, with several associate and observer states

Major Facilities:

  • Large Hadron Collider (LHC):
    • The world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator
    • 27 km circumference ring located 100m underground
    • Capable of colliding protons at energies up to 13 TeV
  • ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) and CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid):
    • Two large general-purpose detectors used to look for signs of new physics
  • A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE):
    • Detector specialized for studying heavy-ion collisions
  • Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb):
    • Detector for studying the slight differences between matter and antimatter
  • Other Accelerators:
    • Proton Synchrotron (PS)
    • Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS)
    • Isotope Separator On-Line DEvice (ISOLDE) (for research with radioactive ions)

The Importance of Fundamental Research:

  • CERN’s work spans critical areas like dark matter research and cosmic ray effects, offering insights into the universe’s building blocks.
  • According to Gianotti, fundamental research drives innovation, and history shows that breakthroughs, like the World Wide Web, stem from such research.

Major Discoveries and Contributions

  • Discovery of the Higgs Boson (2012)
    • Confirmed the existence of the Higgs field, which gives particles mass
  • Creation of Antimatter (1995)
    • First creation of anti-hydrogen atoms
  • Discovery of W and Z Bosons (1983)
    • Confirmed the electroweak theory
  • Invention of the World Wide Web (1989)
    • Tim Berners-Lee developed the WWW to help scientists share information
  • Advancements in Superconducting Magnets
    • Crucial for the operation of the LHC and with applications beyond particle physics

Plans for the Future Circular Collider:

  • The FCC is set to be a 90-kilometer underground ring beneath France and Switzerland, far larger than the LHC’s 27-kilometer ring.
  • A feasibility study will conclude in 2025, and a decision on construction is expected by 2027 or 2028.

Geopolitical Competition in Particle Physics:

  • Europe risks losing its leadership in particle physics to China, which has the resources and ambition to build a rival collider.
  • Former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi highlighted CERN’s leadership as a critical success for the EU in particle physics.
  • Should China complete its circular collider first, Europe’s dominance could be jeopardized.

Source: BS

CERN turns 70 Science and tech