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The Large Hadron Collider vs The James Webb Space Telescope

August 18, 2021

The Large Hadron Collider vs The James Webb Space Telescope

Space exploration has brought us incredible scientific discoveries, and technological advancements beyond our wildest dreams. It has also given birth to various remarkable devices like the James Webb Space Telescope and the Large Hadron Collider. Both machines have unique missions and functions, but which one comes on top? Let's explore.

What is the Large Hadron Collider?

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world's most powerful particle accelerator. It is operated by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and located near Geneva, Switzerland. The LHC consists of a 27 km underground ring designed to accelerate protons or lead ions at nearly the speed of light before smashing them into each other in a bid to unravel the universe's secrets.

What is the James Webb Space Telescope?

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared-optimized space telescope, highly anticipated among astronomers and astrophysicists. In many ways, the JWST is like the powerful Hubble telescope we all know and love, but with groundbreaking infrared capabilities that allow it to penetrate further into space and reveal more details about the universe's origins.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Let's now look at the two giants of the space technology world head-to-head:

Cost

The Large Hadron Collider was an expensive project, costing around $10 billion. Maintaining it is no small feat, either, with an annual operating cost that surpasses $1 billion.

On the other hand, the James Webb Space Telescope's cost estimation is at around $10 billion if its scheduled launch in 2022 holds. Jason Kalirai, an astrophysicist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, notes that the JWST has exceeded this cost, and only time will tell how much it will all come down to.

Winner: None
As the cost of the JWST has not been finalized, we cannot name the winner.

Size

The Large Hadron Collider is undeniably massive with a circumference of more than 26 km and a width of 3.8 meters. The entire underground tunnel is 175 meters underground.

In contrast, the James Webb Space Telescope is relatively small, with a tennis court-sized sunshield, and a weight of 6.5 metric tons. When its mirror unfolds, it will be around the size of a tennis court, making it the world's largest space telescope mirror.

Winner: Large Hadron Collider

Purpose

The Large Hadron Collider is designed to study particle physics by smashing particles into each other to create mini versions of the Big Bang to explore the crucial steps of the universe's birth.

In contrast, the James Webb Space Telescope will look into the universe's depth and observe far-distant stars and galaxies' first light, offering valuable information about the origins of the universe.

Winner: None Both machines serve different purposes.

Scientific Discoveries

The Large Hadron Collider has already made groundbreaking scientific discoveries, including the observation of the Higgs Boson, leading to the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics.

In contrast, the James Webb Space Telescope has yet to complete its mission, so the scientific discoveries it can make and the impact it is going to have on physics remains to be seen.

Winner: Large Hadron Collider

Conclusion

Both the Large Hadron Collider and the James Webb Space Telescope are extraordinary machines with unique missions and functions. The Large Hadron Collider is an incredible piece of scientific engineering, and its results are essential in understanding the universe at its smallest scale. The James Webb Space Telescope, on the other hand, will observe the universe's first moments, contributing to our understanding of the universe's origins significantly.

Now, if aliens could answer us, which one would they prefer? It's hard to say. Maybe they would prefer a space telescope that can gaze at distant stars and galaxies or a collider that can satisfy our curiosity about the universe's fundamental building blocks. Until then, let's continue to support both fantastic machines in their endeavors.

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