Alexander Lewis
Mar 30, 2024
CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, is gearing up to harness the power of the world's most potent particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), on April 8, during the total solar eclipse. Amid theories that suggest the universe contains undiscovered matter, the LHC will undergo experiments aimed at unravelling the mysteries of dark matter.
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is set to resume its operations after a two-year break. The LHC is a 17-mile tunnel that shoots protons at nearly the speed of light, recreating the conditions that existed right after the Big Bang. Scientists believe that studying the obscure subatomic particles produced by the collisions could reveal significant discoveries about the universe's composition.
Despite initial challenges, including an aborted attempt due to beam trajectory issues, the LHC's recent tests have proven successful. Trillions of protons will accelerate 11,245 times per second around the LHC accelerator ring when running at full power, falling short of the speed of light by only seven miles per hour. Researchers expect to find significant clues regarding the effects of dark matter on the formation of our cosmos.
The rare celestial event of a total solar eclipse in 2024, which will be visible to millions throughout North and Central America, falls on the same day as the experiment. As the moon obscures the sun's rays, plunging daylight into temporary darkness, scientists will seize the opportunity to probe the universe's secrets while observers glance at the cosmic phenomenon.
According to the Daily Mail, the LHC's mission extends beyond particle physics, aiming to validate theories proposed by renowned physicist Professor Higgs in 1964. By studying the Higgs boson and its role in imparting mass to particles, scientists hope to unlock fundamental insights into the universe's origins and evolution, even amidst the excitement surrounding the solar eclipse 2024.
