Following the landmark 2012 discovery of the Higgs Boson, CERN is upgrading the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to investigate the universe's most persistent mysteries, specifically dark matter. The facility is currently undergoing a major transformation into the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider, which will generate ten times more data than the existing machine. CERN Director General Dr. Mark Thomson described this upgrade as a giant leap in capability, essential for detecting particles that remain invisible to current technology.
Beyond dark matter, CERN continues to explore antimatter and the fundamental properties of the Higgs Boson. Recent experiments have successfully demonstrated the transport of trapped antiprotons, providing a proof of principle for future research into why the universe contains significantly more matter than antimatter. These efforts are supported by a global scientific community, including a long-standing and significant contribution from approximately 300 Indian scientists and engineers.
Looking further ahead, CERN is developing plans for the Future Circular Collider, a proposed 91-kilometre ring designed to push the boundaries of physics for the next fifty years. While the current focus remains on the upgraded LHC, these initiatives reflect a broader ambition to understand the fundamental forces governing the universe. By combining advanced computing, artificial intelligence, and international collaboration, researchers aim to move beyond the Standard Model of particle physics.
