CERN’s Large Hadron Collider reveals the secrets of space for the third time

Now, physicists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) on the Swiss-French border are resuming the conflict. With the aim of increasing understanding of the Higgs boson and other subatomic particles, and the mysteries of dark matter – matter that is invisible and elusive because it does not absorb, reflect or emit any light.

With a ring measuring 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) in circumference, the Large Hadron Collider – located deep in the Alps – is made of superconducting magnets cooled to -271.3 °C (-456 °F), which is colder than space. It works by cracking small molecules together, allowing scientists to track them and see what’s inside.

On Tuesday, scientists at CERN Start collecting data for their experiencesAnd the Great Hadron The struggle will continue around the clock for nearly four years. that it A third run of the massive engine with improved data reading and selection systems, as well as new detection systems and computer infrastructure, with greater accuracy and detection capability than ever before.

“When we do research, we hope to find something unexpected and surprising. This will 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.” CERN general manager Fabiola Gianotti said in a video posted on the CERN website.

“We are looking for answers to why the Higgs boson is so light and to many other open questions about dark matter.”

Understanding 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 the foundations for how the fundamental forces and particles in the universe interact. But this theory fails to explain how particles actually gain mass. Particles or parts of matter range in size and can be larger or smaller than atoms. Electrons, protons, and neutrons, for example, are the subatomic particles that make up the atom. Now scientists The Higgs boson is thought to be the particle that gives all matter its mass.

In 2013, a year after the particle was discovered, Englert and Hicks He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his wise predictions. But much remains unknown about the Higgs boson, and revealing its secrets could help scientists understand the universe in its smallest mysteries and some of the universe’s biggest mysteries.

The Large Hadron Collider, which opened in 2008, is the only one in the world. Higgs boson It can be prepared and studied in detail. third round It was successfully completed on Tuesday at 10.47am ET.

In the final round of experiments, scientists at CERN will study the material’s properties under extreme temperatures and density, and look for explanations. For dark matter and other new phenomena, either through direct searches or – indirectly – through precise measurements of known particle properties.

“Although all the results obtained so far are consistent with the Standard Model, there is still plenty of room for new phenomena beyond what this theory predicts,” said Michelangelo Mangano, a theorist at CERN. In a press release.

Dark matter is believed to make up most of the matter It was previously discovered through its ability to cause gravitational distortions in the universe and space.

“The Higgs boson may indicate new phenomena, including some responsible for dark matter in the universe,” said Luca Mulshiri, a spokesperson for CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid), one of the four experiments of the Large Hadron Collider. It is built around a large electromagnet.