The year 2025 marks a major milestone in the field of particle physics with the announcement of an ambitious project: the construction of a colossal particle gas pedal spanning 91 kilometers. Already arousing the enthusiasm and curiosity of the world’s scientific community, this project promises to push back the current limits of fundamental research.
By exploring the mysteries of the universe on an unprecedented scale, this gas pedal could well revolutionize our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature. Discover how this technological feat could transform the scientific landscape and open up fascinating new perspectives for the future.
Background and objectives of the Future Circular Collider (FCC)
The Future Circular Collider (FCC) has been proposed as the successor to CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which revolutionized particle physics with the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012. As the LHC nears the end of its mission, scheduled for the 2040s, the FCC aims to push back the boundaries of fundamental research.
With a tunnel 91 km long, more than three times the size of the LHC, the FCC promises to explore energies up to 100 TeV, paving the way for the discovery of new particles and the study of dark matter. This ambitious project could begin in the 2030s, subject to approval by CERN’s member states.
Features and phases of the FCC project
The Future Circular Collider (FCC) stands out for its impressive 91 km circumference, buried 200 m beneath the French-Swiss region. The project will be carried out in two distinct phases. The first, FCC-ee, will focus on electron-positron collisions for precision measurements, lasting around 15 years.
This phase aims to identify subtle deviations from the Standard Model. The second phase, FCC-hh, will exploit the same tunnel for proton-proton collisions at energies up to 100 TeV, over a period of 25 years. It aims to discover heavier particles and deepen our understanding of dark matter, pushing back the frontiers of current physics.
Economic impact and feasibility of the FCC
The Future Circular Collider (FCC) is not only an ambitious scientific project, it also has significant economic implications. According to the feasibility report, construction of the initial FCC-ee phase would cost around 15 billion Swiss francs, spread over 12 years starting in the 2030s.
The project is expected to generate over 800,000 person-years of employment, stimulating the local and international economy. In addition, the technological innovations resulting from the FCC could benefit various sectors, including medicine and energy. The decision-making process to launch the FCC relies on the approval of CERN member states and international partners, underlining the importance of global collaboration for its realization.
