The Large Hadron Collider will begin smashing protons again in June, according to Albert De Roeck, a physicist at CERN. The LHC, the largest machine ever constructed, completed a massive $149 million upgrade in April. The upgrade–two years in the making–will allow the LHC to generate far higher energy, which scientists believe will help them unravel ever greater mysteries about the universe and its origins.
One concern De Roeck discussed is an “unidentified lying object” that could disrupt the accelerator’s beam. Phys.org says physicists believe it’s something to be “cautiously aware of.” It hasn’t caused a problem in the testing so far. “The unidentified lying object turns out not to be a problem for the operation, it’s just something to keep an eye on,” De Roeck said. “It’s in the vacuum tube and it’s not a problem if it doesn’t move and remains stable.” And if it moves?
