CERN engineers have developed superconducting karts to replace bicycles for navigating the 27-km Large Hadron Collider tunnel during major upgrades this summer. The vehicles, powered by 64 superconducting engines each, promise dramatically faster travel times for maintenance crews working on the High-Luminosity LHC project. Early tests show noticeable speed boosts, with the karts levitating via the Meissner effect when cooled below critical temperatures.

These karts will be essential during Long Shutdown 3 (LS3), when the LHC undergoes transformation into its high-luminosity configuration. Workers will access underground areas through giant green pipes while using the karts to reach accelerator improvement sites quickly. Safety coordinator Luigi Fratello has implemented mandatory Safety and Health Equipment for Long and Limited Stays (SHELLS) for all drivers, though bananas remain strictly prohibited in the tunnel.

The technology extends beyond particle physics research. CERN's Knowledge Transfer Group is collaborating with European startup Quantum Mushroom to explore aerospace applications and next-generation anti-gravity vehicles. The project originated from an unexpected collaboration between engineers and nursery school children, whose kart designs inspired the final vehicles.