China is moving forward with the construction of the world’s largest particle collider – a circular electron-positron collider (CEPC). This ambitious project, with an estimated cost of 36 billion yuan (about $5 billion), has garnered significant attention in the international scientific community.
Renowned physicist Eliezer Rabinovichi, from the Jewish University in Jerusalem and current President of the European Nuclear Research Organization (CERN), has expressed confidence in the ability of Chinese scientists to construct and effectively utilize the CEPC for scientific advancements.
CEPC will surpass the size of the Large Hadron Collider, boasting a massive circumference of 100 km. Its primary objective is to produce millions of Higgs bosons through high-energy collisions, leading to groundbreaking discoveries in the realm of elementary particle physics.
The project is spearheaded by Van Ifan, who previously collaborated with Nobel laureate Samuel Coo Chung Ting at CERN. Van remains optimistic about the installation’s prospects and has outlined a timeline for construction to commence within the next three years.
While some members of the scientific community have raised concerns about the necessity of such a supercollider, Nobel laureate Jan Zhennin has voiced reservations about the project, questioning its prioritization for the country. Zhennin advocates for a focus on more immediate tasks such as economic growth and environmental preservation.
Despite Zhennin’s skepticism, other physicists believe that China has the financial capability to support the CEPC and emphasize the importance of allocating scientific budgets efficiently, given the significant investments already made in other scientific projects.
CERN President acknowledges the widespread support for the initiative, with thousands of scientists worldwide, including those from the United States and Europe, endorsing the CEPC project. The comprehensive technical report, developed by over 1000 scientists from 24 countries over a five-year period, has been well-received by the global physics community since its publication in December last year. The 600-page document details the technical specifications of the facility and outlines research plans.
While the final decision rests with the Chinese government, the progress made thus far and the substantial backing from prominent scientific communities indicate promising prospects for the realization of the CEPC project in the near future.