The LHC is our friend

[theBrokenCarnage]

As you may be aware, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) (official page and wiki), a particle accelerator, is set to be powered up on Wednesday (Sept 10). It's purpose is to attempt to produce wacky subatomic particles (like Higgs bosons, for example).

You may have also heard that some individuals claim that the LHC could produce black holes that may destroy the earth, etc, etc. I suppose the purpose of this thread is to share some info about this. In short, the probability that such a catastrophic event will occur is so incredibly small that it can be considered zero (wiki on LHC safety). IF the LHC did produce a microscopic black hole (which is the largest black hole that it could produce), odds are that the black hole would immediately dissolve. If, for some reason, it did not, it would still be small enough that it would take thousands and thousands of years for it to contact a single atom.

So in short, LHC = safe. Crackpots making wild claims for publicity, and the media hyping up said wild claims = not safe.

[interzone]

From what I'm reading about it. Isn't it the collision that's the concern. I don't see why Sept 10th we have to worry, because that day they don't plan on colliding the beam. It's Oct 21st that the worlds gonna end right? (in theory of course)

[theBrokenCarnage]

Ah, but you see, Sept 10 is still being hyped... then Oct 21 will be hyped when it comes around, too. The common folk aren't aware that tomorrow is only the power up date - CERN will attempt to send a beam all the way around the ring clockwise, then anti-clockwise, in preparation for the first collisions on Oct 21.

Seriously though, you don't have to worry at all. If you are worrying, then you better not step outside ever again, because there's just as much chance that you'll get hit with a meteor or debris from a passing aircraft as there is of the LHC dooming us all. There is absolutely no real cause for concern with the LHC.

[interzone]

Your right about today being hyped. Google is telling the world too.

So seriously, no. I'm not too concerned. The hyped fear, kinda reminds me of back in the day of nuclear testing, and how that was gonna rip us a part.

With you being a scientist, what do you think of the LHC? Is it a waste of time? Or is it some kinda break through that we should all be excited about?

[theBrokenCarnage]

As a scientist, anytime there is an attempt to advance our understanding of the universe, I am all for it. The purpose of the LHC is to, obviously, collide hadrons at speeds near C, in the hopes that such collisions will simulate how the universe appeared in the microseconds following the Big Bang, and will allow us to observe (for the first time) the Higgs boson - the elementary particle that gives matter its mass and the only elementary particle that the Standard Model predicts to exist, but hasn't yet been observed. It is also likely that the collisions will reveal the existence of other currently unknown subatomic particles. Then there's the enticing possibility that, since there hasn't been anything like the LHC before, the LHC will allow us to discover things we currently know nothing about and aren't even theorizing about.

[interzone]

So.......

What happen?

[theBrokenCarnage]

Sept 12, 2008 23:24:16 GMT -5 interzone said:

What happen?

Somebody set up us the bomb.

The test went as planned. Now they slowly build more power and add more particles to the beams, in preparation for the collision.

[theBrokenCarnage]

Helpful link I just found:
10 Things About the Large Hadron Collider You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask

[interzone]

Ya gotta love the "I Survived the Large Hadron Collider" t-shirt for $9.95.....

Thanks for pointing that 10 things out, it had some interesting things on their. I read all of it. One of the interesting things I found on it was the Werewolf effect the Moon has on our planet. (totally clueless)

I found it cool how cold they had to have it.

Fun stuff Carnage, I'm glad you made this thread.