Apart from NASA, few scientific institutions have captured the imagination of the public quite like the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Featured in Hollywood blockbusters like ‘Angels and Demons’, CERN has long been at the forefront of cutting-edge particle physics research. Now, the Geneva-based institute has cleared all technical hurdles for its most ambitious project yet: the Future Circular Collider (FCC).
Set to be the largest and most powerful particle accelerator in the world, the FCC will be a 91 km-long underground ring beneath the Swiss-French border. However, while the project promises groundbreaking scientific discoveries, it has also drawn criticism over its staggering $17 billion cost.
What is the future circular collider?
The FCC is designed to push the boundaries of particle physics, accelerating protons to unprecedented energy levels to collide them at speeds close to the speed of light. The aim? To unlock the deepest secrets of the universe, including the nature of dark matter, dark energy, and fundamental forces.
CERN has planned to build the FCC in two phases:
- The first phase, expected to be operational by 2046, will feature an electron-positron collider.
- The second phase, scheduled for 2070, will introduce a proton-proton collider capable of reaching 100 trillion electronvolts (TeV)—over seven times the energy achieved by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
The recently published feasibility study confirms that no major technical obstacles stand in the way of constructing the FCC. However, the final decision rests with CERN’s member states, who have until 2028 to approve funding.
Scientific potential vs financial scrutiny
Supporters argue that the FCC will be an essential tool in answering some of the most complex and unresolved questions in physics. Scientists believe the collider could lead to discoveries beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, providing insights into the fundamental building blocks of reality.
However, not everyone is convinced. Some physicists and environmental groups have raised concerns over the enormous cost, arguing that the money could be better spent on smaller-scale research projects with more immediate benefits. The FCC’s $17 billion price tag is more than double the $8 billion cost of the LHC, leading to debates over whether such mega-projects are financially justifiable.
The large hadron collider: A legacy of discovery
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the largest particle accelerator currently in operation, is a 27 km-long ring buried 100 metres underground at CERN. It was constructed between 1998 and 2008 with the goal of colliding subatomic particles to understand the fundamental forces of nature.
Since its launch in 2008, the LHC has made significant contributions to physics, most notably the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012—a breakthrough that confirmed a fundamental aspect of the Standard Model. However, the LHC has also faced its share of controversy and conspiracy theories, including fears that it could create black holes capable of swallowing the Earth—a claim that has been thoroughly debunked.
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The LHC is expected to remain in operation until 2041, after which it will be decommissioned. The FCC is seen as its natural successor, offering the next generation of physicists a tool to explore new frontiers in particle physics.
What’s next for the FCC?
With the technical feasibility confirmed, CERN now faces the biggest hurdle—securing funding. If approved, the FCC will take decades to build, requiring international cooperation and billions in investment.
Despite financial concerns, many in the scientific community believe that the rewards outweigh the costs. With dark matter and dark energy remaining some of the biggest mysteries in science, the FCC has the potential to transform our understanding of the universe in ways that are currently unimaginable.
For now, CERN has paved the way for its most ambitious project yet—but the final decision will rest with the global scientific and political community in the coming years.
