Now, physicists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) on the Swiss-French border are restarting the collider with the goal of understanding more about the Higgs boson, other subatomic particles, and the mysteries. of dark matter, an invisible and elusive substance. which cannot be seen because it does not absorb, reflect, or emit any light.
The Large Hadron Collider, consisting of a ring 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) in circumference, located in the depths of the Alps, consists of superconducting magnets cooled to -271.3 ° C (-456 F) , which is colder than outer space. It works by breaking tiny particles together to allow scientists to observe them and see what’s inside.
On Tuesday, CERN scientists will begin collecting data for their experiments and the Large Hadron Collider will operate for nearly four years. It is the third execution of the massive machine, with a greater precision and potential of discovery than ever thanks to the systems of selection and reading of updated data, as well as to the new systems of detectors and to the computer infrastructure.
“When we do research we hope to find something unexpected, a surprise. That would be the best result. But, of course, the answer is in the hands of nature, and it depends on how nature answers the open questions of fundamental physics.” said Fabiola Gianotti, Director General of CERN, in a video posted on the CERN website.
“We’re looking for answers to questions related to dark matter, why the Higgs boson is so light and many other open-ended questions.”
Understand the Higgs boson
Physicists François Englert and Peter Higgs first theorized the existence of the Higgs boson in the 1960s. The standard model of physics lays out the basics of how elementary particles and forces interact in the universe. But the theory had failed to explain how particles actually get their mass. Particles, or pieces of matter, vary in size and can be larger or smaller than atoms. Electrons, protons, and neutrons, for example, are the subatomic particles that make up an atom. Scientists now believe that the Higgs boson is the particle that gives mass to all matter.
In 2013, a year after the discovery of the particle, Englert and Higgs won a Nobel Prize for their predictive prediction. But there are still many things unknown about the Higgs boson, and discovering its secrets can help scientists understand the universe on its smallest scale and some of the biggest mysteries in the cosmos. The Large Hadron Collider, which opened in 2008, is the only place in the world where the Higgs boson can be produced and studied in detail. The third run successfully started at 10.47am on Tuesday morning.
In the final round of experiments, CERN scientists will study the properties of matter at extreme temperatures and densities, and will also look for explanations for dark matter and other new phenomena, either through direct research or indirectly. by precise measurements. of the properties of the known particles.
“While all the results obtained so far are consistent with the standard model, there is still much room for new phenomena beyond what this theory predicts,” CERN theorist Michelangelo Mangano said in a press release.
Dark matter is believed to constitute most of the matter in the universe and has previously been detected for its ability to create gravitational distortions in outer space.
“The Higgs boson itself may point to new phenomena, including some that could be responsible for the dark matter in the universe,” said Luca Malgeri, a spokesman for CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid), one of the four great experiments of the Great Col Hadrons lionizer. which is built around a huge electromagnet.