Physicists Propose £17 Billion Atom-Smasher to Unlock Mysteries of the Universe
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Researchers propose building a new £17bn atom-smasher called the Future Circular Collider (FCC), 3 times bigger than the current Large Hadron Collider.
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It would be built in 2 stages - first colliding electrons to study the Higgs boson, then protons to search for dark matter and complete physics theories.
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The LHC discovered the Higgs boson but hasn't found dark matter/energy to explain most of the universe. The FCC aims to do this.
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Some criticize the cost and question if particle physics deserves the funding compared to other scientific areas.
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Alternative ideas exist like a smaller linear collider, but Cern favors the FCC and is gauging support from its member nations expected to fund it.