Large hadron collider discoveries
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Discoveries at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
Introduction to the Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator. It was designed to collide proton beams at unprecedented energy levels, providing a unique tool for exploring the fundamental particles and forces that constitute the universe1 2. The LHC has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of the Standard Model of particle physics and beyond.
Higgs Boson Discovery
One of the most significant discoveries made by the LHC is the Higgs boson. This particle, predicted by the Standard Model, was discovered in 2012, confirming the mechanism that gives mass to elementary particles4. The discovery of the Higgs boson was a monumental achievement, validating decades of theoretical work and leading to a Nobel Prize in Physics for François Englert and Peter Higgs.
Supersymmetry and CP Violation
The LHC has also been pivotal in exploring theories beyond the Standard Model, such as supersymmetry and CP violation. Supersymmetry proposes a partner particle for each particle in the Standard Model, potentially solving several outstanding problems in particle physics. Although no supersymmetric particles have been discovered yet, the LHC continues to set stringent limits on their existence1 2 4.
Black Hole Production and Quantum Gravity
Another intriguing area of research at the LHC involves the search for microscopic black holes, which could provide evidence for theories of low-scale quantum gravity. While no black holes have been detected, the LHC has set important constraints on these models, guiding future theoretical and experimental work4.
High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) Upgrade
To further extend its discovery potential, the LHC is undergoing a major upgrade to become the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC). This upgrade will increase the collision rate by a factor of five and the total number of collisions by a factor of ten, allowing for more precise measurements and the potential discovery of new particles6. The HL-LHC will incorporate advanced technologies such as superconducting magnets and compact superconducting cavities, pushing the boundaries of accelerator technology6.
Future Circular Collider (FCC)
Looking beyond the LHC, the Future Circular Collider (FCC) is being developed to explore even higher energy frontiers. The FCC-hh, a hadron collider, aims to achieve collision energies of up to 100 TeV, significantly extending the reach of particle physics research. This next-generation collider will build on the technologies and discoveries of the LHC and HL-LHC, offering unprecedented opportunities to explore physics beyond the Standard Model7.
Conclusion
The Large Hadron Collider has revolutionized our understanding of particle physics, from the discovery of the Higgs boson to setting limits on new physics phenomena. With ongoing upgrades and future projects like the FCC, the LHC continues to be at the forefront of scientific discovery, promising exciting advancements in our quest to understand the fundamental nature of the universe.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
The Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will provide unprecedented luminosity and energy for proton-proton collisions, allowing new insights into the Standard Model of physics and new phenomena like the Higgs mechanism, supersymmetry, and CP violation.
Highly CitedThe Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will provide unprecedented luminosity and energy for proton-proton collisions, allowing new insights into the Standard Model of physics and new phenomena like supersymmetry and CP violation.
Highly CitedThe large hadron collider
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the largest and most energetic particle collider, promising exciting new physics results for years to come.
Black holes at the Large Hadron Collider.
The Large Hadron Collider has set stringent limits on the existence of TeV-scale new physics phenomena, including black hole production, but future energy increases may enable new research directions.
Highly CitedLHC Machine
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a powerful tool for particle physics research, with a centre-of-mass energy of 14 TeV and a peak luminosity of 1034 cm2 s1.
Highly CitedHigh-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) : Preliminary Design Report
The High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) will increase the Large Hadron Collider's luminosity by a factor of five and its integrated luminosity by a factor of ten, enabling new discoveries in particle physics.
Highly CitedHE-LHC: The High-Energy Large Hadron Collider
The FCC-hh design aims to significantly extend the energy frontier to 100 TeV, offering unique sensitivity to new physics and discoveries beyond the Standard Model.
Highly CitedThe probability of discovery
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a "discovery machine" that explores new limits at the high-energy frontier, but the probability of major discoveries remains uncertain, highlighting the challenges and uncertainties in fundamental science research.
The Large Hadron-Electron Collider at the HL-LHC
The Large Hadron-Electron Collider (LHeC) will revolutionize particle physics by extending the accessible kinematic range in lepton-nucleus scattering by several orders of magnitude, offering strong Higgs physics potential and new discovery potential.
Highly Cited