The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland is the largest machine in the world due to the sheer area it covers. It consists of a circular tunnel more than 17 miles long, which is basically a particle accelerator that is used to accelerate basic nuclear particles like Protons, neutrons, etc. and smashing them head-on. These subatomic collisions are then observed, and results are calculated.
Now why does this machine built by the famed European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) matter so much that it is frequently in the news? It is because these collisions can be used to simulate the early universe and find out about more about the elusive phenomenon that made everything around us as it is and how it will be in the future. So, we’re looking right at the formation of the universe itself when we are experimenting with the singular facility available at CERN. How would it look like from the inside? Here we present you with BBC’s incredible 360-degree video that will take you right to the heart of the particle-smashing machine in Europe and see what it’s like:
The video starts with a Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector, one of four such pieces in the entire facility. Then we follow the long tunnel in which particles are accelerated close to the speed of light itself using 10,000 strong electromagnets. The BBC team was given a rare opportunity to witness the starting of the LHC facility as it was started for the first time in more than 27 months. This second season of happening in Geneva is expected to run for about three years, and new theories, and even subatomic particles will be tested and discovered during that period. Keep your fingers crossed for the fifth fundamental force of nature as well. The whole General Unified Theory (GUT) or the Theory of Everything as portrayed in the Stephen Hawking movie of recent times will take another blow after that I am sure!
Also, the Standard model of the Particle Physics will also be put to test here. It states that everything present in the universe is comprised of the basic particles present inside a nucleus, and they are governed by the four fundamental forces of nature namely Gravitational force, Electromagnetic Force, Weak Nuclear Force and Strong Nuclear Force. All of these primary forces of nature work in different ranges and have different strengths. For years, this latest theory has also been under attack due to its lack of explanation of Gravity and how relativity can be accommodated in it. Hopefully, we will have something amazing to see at the turn of the year! For now, do enjoy the video and tell us what you think about it!