Farewell, atom-smashing Large Hadron Collider

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which has been a powerhouse in the field of particle physics for 18 years, is stepping down for a major upgrade to become the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). This upgrade aims to produce even more data and potentially discover new particles beyond the Standard Model, which could revolutionize our understanding of the universe. This transition signifies a significant leap forward in our quest to uncover the fundamental forces and particles that make up reality. While the LHC retires, the HL-LHC promises to push the boundaries of scientific discovery even further.