We need more mega-science projects, says CERN Director-General

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is shifting focus toward one of the greatest unresolved mysteries in modern cosmology, dark matter, after confirming the existence of the Higgs boson, often referred to as the "God particle." The organization announced plans to explore this elusive form of matter, which is thought to constitute approximately 85 percent of the universe’s total mass but has never been directly observed. These developments come amid preparations for upcoming upgrades to CERN’s flagship facility, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Mark Thomson, director-general of CERN, outlined these ambitions during a visit to Mumbai on August 31, 2026, where he attended the India premiere of The Peace Particle, a documentary chronicling CERN’s history. Speaking at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Thomson emphasized the need for continued investment in large-scale scientific endeavors. He highlighted the importance of the Future Circular Collider (FCC), a proposed 91-kilometer particle accelerator that could become operational by 2045–48. While the FCC has not yet received formal approval, Thomson expressed optimism that a decision would be reached by 2028. Thomson described the FCC as a "visionary project," one that would surpass the capabilities of the current LHC. The existing LHC, a 27-kilometer underground ring located near Geneva, Switzerland, was officially decommissioned on June 29, 2026, and is set to remain offline until 2030. During this period, CERN is working on upgrading the LHC into the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC). This upgraded version will feature ten times the luminosity of the current LHC, enabling scientists to collect significantly more data and conduct experiments with greater precision. Thomson called it "an incredible scientific opportunity" with substantial discovery potential. Beyond technical advancements, Thomson spoke about the broader scientific questions that remain unanswered. Among these are the origins of matter in the universe, the nature of the mysterious 95 percent of the universe’s mass and energy, and the apparent weakness of gravity relative to other fundamental forces. He noted that the properties of the Higgs boson, including its interactions with dark matter, could provide crucial insights into these phenomena. Other pressing issues include the hierarchy of particle masses, the possibility of additional generations of elementary particles, and the stability of the Higgs field itself. During his remarks, Thomson acknowledged India’s growing role in global scientific collaboration. He praised the nation’s technological expertise and its pool of talented young researchers. CERN, he said, is actively considering ways to involve Indian institutions in its future projects, recognizing their contributions to both theoretical and experimental physics. Thomson also reflected on CERN’s historical impact, citing the invention of the World Wide Web as a direct result of research conducted within the organization. He stressed that such breakthroughs arise from addressing fundamental scientific questions through international cooperation. The documentary The Peace Particle offers a glimpse into the challenges of capturing the scale and complexity of the LHC. Director Alex Kiehl described the process of filming as an immense undertaking, given the sheer size and intricacy of the machinery involved. The film aims to convey the ambition behind CERN’s mission, to unravel the deepest secrets of the cosmos through cutting-edge experimentation and global collaboration. As CERN moves forward with its plans, the focus on dark matter represents a pivotal shift in the organization’s priorities. With the HL-LHC upgrade underway and the FCC under consideration, scientists anticipate that these facilities will enable unprecedented investigations into the fabric of reality. The coming decades promise to be a transformative era for particle physics, driven by the pursuit of answers to some of humanity’s oldest and most profound questions.