Mark Thomson, a professor of experimental particle physics, has just landed the biggest job in global science - director general of Cern, where the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) takes center stage. However, there's a peculiar twist: his tenure will begin with one unexpected move - turning off the machine for good.
Underneath Geneva, the LHC is an extraordinary feat, recreating conditions that existed just microseconds after the Big Bang. The Higgs boson discovery, which turned space into "cosmic glue," was a pivotal moment in its history. But now, Thomson's first act will be to shut down the machine for engineering work - and it won't restart until his five-year term is nearly over.
The LHC accelerates protons at near-light speed inside a 27km-long ring. At four points around this ring, protons are steered into others rushing towards them. The energy on impact creates new particles that are recorded by the LHC's detectors. With Einstein's equation E=mc^2 in mind, more energy yields more massive particles.
Thomson is thrilled about what lies ahead. "The machine is running brilliantly and we're recording huge amounts of data," he says. "There's going to be plenty to analyze over the period." The physics results will keep on coming, providing insights into the fundamental nature of the universe.
Next up is a major upgrade - the high-luminosity LHC. This project involves installing powerful new magnets to squeeze the proton beams and make them brighter. Tenfold more collisions are anticipated, and detectors are being strengthened to capture the subtle signs of new physics. The upgrade promises to raise questions about today's theories and lay the groundwork for tomorrow's.
One unsolved mystery is still shrouded in darkness - the Higgs boson's masses. Why do they vary as they do? How do Higgs bosons interact with each other? "We could see something completely unexpected," Thomson hints, keeping hope alive.
Beyond his LHC upgrade, Thomson must grapple with an even bigger challenge: deciding on a new machine that will succeed the LHC. The Future Circular Collider (FCC) is the frontrunner - three times larger than the LHC, calling for a massive tunnel to be built underground. Cern's feasibility report estimates costs of 15 billion Swiss francs or £14 billion.
The debate rages on about whether the FCC is the right tool for unlocking new discoveries. It may not answer some fundamental questions in physics: what is dark matter? What is dark energy? Why is gravity so weak? The journey will be harder without a clear prize to aim for.
However, Thomson remains optimistic, driven by Cern's mission to understand the universe at its most fundamental level. "We've not got to the point where we have stopped making discoveries," he says firmly. "The FCC is absolutely not the time to give up."
Underneath Geneva, the LHC is an extraordinary feat, recreating conditions that existed just microseconds after the Big Bang. The Higgs boson discovery, which turned space into "cosmic glue," was a pivotal moment in its history. But now, Thomson's first act will be to shut down the machine for engineering work - and it won't restart until his five-year term is nearly over.
The LHC accelerates protons at near-light speed inside a 27km-long ring. At four points around this ring, protons are steered into others rushing towards them. The energy on impact creates new particles that are recorded by the LHC's detectors. With Einstein's equation E=mc^2 in mind, more energy yields more massive particles.
Thomson is thrilled about what lies ahead. "The machine is running brilliantly and we're recording huge amounts of data," he says. "There's going to be plenty to analyze over the period." The physics results will keep on coming, providing insights into the fundamental nature of the universe.
Next up is a major upgrade - the high-luminosity LHC. This project involves installing powerful new magnets to squeeze the proton beams and make them brighter. Tenfold more collisions are anticipated, and detectors are being strengthened to capture the subtle signs of new physics. The upgrade promises to raise questions about today's theories and lay the groundwork for tomorrow's.
One unsolved mystery is still shrouded in darkness - the Higgs boson's masses. Why do they vary as they do? How do Higgs bosons interact with each other? "We could see something completely unexpected," Thomson hints, keeping hope alive.
Beyond his LHC upgrade, Thomson must grapple with an even bigger challenge: deciding on a new machine that will succeed the LHC. The Future Circular Collider (FCC) is the frontrunner - three times larger than the LHC, calling for a massive tunnel to be built underground. Cern's feasibility report estimates costs of 15 billion Swiss francs or £14 billion.
The debate rages on about whether the FCC is the right tool for unlocking new discoveries. It may not answer some fundamental questions in physics: what is dark matter? What is dark energy? Why is gravity so weak? The journey will be harder without a clear prize to aim for.
However, Thomson remains optimistic, driven by Cern's mission to understand the universe at its most fundamental level. "We've not got to the point where we have stopped making discoveries," he says firmly. "The FCC is absolutely not the time to give up."
, but I also kinda think its a big mistake turning off the LHC immediately 
. Like, we just got the Higgs boson thing figured out and now were gonna stop? 
What if we can't get more answers from it while its still running? But at the same time, idk how else youre supposed to make it better than just throwing some new magnets in there 
.
, but also is 15 billion Swiss francs or £14 billion kinda a lot of cash 
. Are we really ready for something that big? Shouldnt we be focusing on smaller projects first? 
But hey maybe its just my pessimistic side kicking in 
. Anyway, Im super excited to see what Thomson comes up with 
, but also hope hes not jinxing everything by shutting down the LHC 
! Shutting down the LHC for a 5-year overhaul? That's like, totally needed 
. I mean, think of all the data they're gonna collect during that time... it's gonna be crazy! 
. Why are its masses so random? How do Higgs bosons interact with each other? I mean, it's like they're hiding some major secrets 
. And then there's this whole FCC debate... 15 billion Swiss francs for a new machine? That's wild 
. But hey, if it means unlocking the secrets of dark matter and dark energy, I'm all in 
! Thomson seems like a total rockstar for staying optimistic about the future of Cern research. Bring on the discoveries! 
I mean can you believe this guy Mark Thomson is just going to turn off the LHC for good and then do more engineering work before it comes back on? Like, what's next? 
Is he going to take a break from physics and go skydiving or something?
And let's not forget about the upgrade to the high-luminosity LHC - with 10 times more collisions anticipated, we could finally get some answers to those pesky questions about the Higgs boson masses and dark matter... or maybe we'll just raise even more questions? 
mark thomson seems like a cool cat for taking the risk and pushing the boundaries of science 
. The data they're collecting now will give us so much insight into the universe's fundamental nature - it's like having the keys to unlock the secrets of space and time 
. And with the high-luminosity LHC upgrade on the horizon, we can expect even more mind-blowing discoveries 
! But let's be real, there are still so many mysteries out there that need solving, like dark matter and dark energy... what's up with that? 
Anyway, I'm all for Thomson keeping hope alive and pushing forward with the FCC - it's a massive undertaking, but if anyone can make it happen, he can 
! #Cern #LHC #FCC #DarkMatter #DarkEnergy
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but with thomson at the helm, it's gonna get even more lit 
. Just what we need, more bureaucratic red tape and less actual science getting done 
. On the bright side, I'm sure it'll be super exciting to wait 5 years for the FCC to be finished 
. Meanwhile, I'll just be over here wondering about dark matter and dark energy 
.
I'm totally stoked for Mark Thomson taking over as director general of Cern 
! The Higgs boson masses are still a total mystery - let's hope Thomson and his team can crack it 
.
.
. And honestly, that's what science is all about - discovery, wonder, and progress 
I get that they need to do some engineering work but five years is a looong time. What if someone else discovers something groundbreaking while we're waiting?