A Day at CERN. Gautier Depambour

everyone can understand the impact and importance that new technological developments can have. Proton therapy and some medical imaging technologies, for example, come from particle physics. Treating cancers today with particle beams is possible only because at some point physicists — at CERN and elsewhere — have learned to manufacture and operate these machines. They are now used to improve diagnosis and destroy tumours with very high accuracy.

       Are there prospects for applications in industry based on technologies currently developed at CERN for particle physics?

      - You know, it is always difficult to predict which technologies developed today for particle physics will find applications in industry tomorrow. Of course, we do not invent the Web every year, but history is full of examples of essential applications that were first developed through fundamental research. Things emerge as they happen, over the long term. But there are prospects, for example in the field of superconductivity...”

Superconductivity allows electrical currents to pass through certain materials (usually at very low temperatures) with zero resistance, which considerably reduces energy losses.

      “... For example, superconducting cables are being developed for the LHC High Lumi: who knows but they may be used in a few years’ time to transport energy with much less loss? Thanks to superconductivity, increasingly powerful magnets are also being developed, which can have applications in neurology, for example.

       Indeed: I myself attended a lecture at CERN given by the Director of Neurospin, a French research centre dedicated to brain research. He said that Neurospin owes a lot to the work done at CERN, because superconducting magnets will greatly improve brain imaging. These advances could, for example, lead to a better understanding of brain-related diseases, or to a better understanding of the mechanics of thinking by studying brain activity more accurately. But let us return to the initial question about the interest of financing CERN: we have talked about knowledge in itself, and economic benefits. What would be the third argument?

      - This is a strategic argument. The emergence of new technologies for particle physics or other applications is accompanied by contracts for industry. But above all, CERN is a real place of knowledge transfer, with thousands of young people coming here to do their theses in part and then returning to the business world with a high level of qualification: this has great value, even if it is not financial. It is therefore not possible to limit ourselves to purely economic spinoffs to assess returns on investment in the case of an organization such as CERN, whose training role is essential.

       The last word?

      - I would say that CERN is not expensive in terms of the impact it has on society. The economic benefits of the Web are certainly much greater than anything CERN will ever cost! Moreover, if the Web had not been invented by CERN, it would probably not be in the public domain and therefore free as it is today — and we would surely have to pay royalties to its inventor! In general, for all that CERN provides in terms of fundamental knowledge and technological innovation, it is a necessary organization. But I would like to add one more very important thing: CERN is one of the finest examples of international collaboration, one which shows the magnitude of the possible challenges that can be faced when men and women from all over the world come together peacefully around this noble cause that transcends nations and cultures: namely, advancing knowledge.

       It’s funny, you just reached almost the same conclusion as Bernard, whom we just interviewed! Thank you very much, Arnaud, for all these explanations. I think it is important to bear in mind that CERN, even if it is primarily dedicated to basic research, has repercussions for industry and in our daily lives, without being a financial pitfall for contributing states. We will continue the visit with this in mind. See you soon!

      - Goodbye, and thank you for visiting!”