NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVrUR_SOykk

This video is 5 years of CERN construction squashed into 5 minutes

Scientists will send two beams of particles around a 27km ring at 0.999999991 times the speed of light. Huge electromagnets will bend the beams, and collide one into the other.

The LHC project involves around 10,000 researchers and is based at CERN in Geneva, which is the world's largest particle physics centre.

The LHC represents the biggest scientific experiment of all time. By colliding tiny beams of protons researchers are hoping to recreate conditions in the Universe less than a billionth of a second after the Big Bang and uncover some of the universe's unsolved mysteries.

...an 11-nation team that has built detectors to pick up particles such as the as-yet-undetected Higgs boson - the so-called 'God particle' which could help to explain why matter has mass.

The music on the video is Ravel's Bolero and, perhaps, his own criticism of the piece may aptly describe this project as well...

It constitutes an experiment in a very special and limited direction, and should not be suspected of aiming at achieving anything different from, or anything more than, it actually does achieve. Before its first performance, I issued a warning to the effect that what I had written was a piece lasting seventeen minutes and consisting wholly of "orchestral tissue without music" — of one very long, gradual crescendo. There are no contrasts, and practically no invention except the plan and the manner of execution.

What do YOU think will happen?

The Combine should be arriving soon.

What do YOU think will happen?
Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use.

A handful of scientists will get to name some stupidly small particles after themselves; a few thousand science geeks will rub one out to footage of the machine starting; but for most of the human race, life will continue in the exact same damn way it did before the machine was built.

There's some work I need to have done in the next couple of weeks, but I'm waiting until after Wednesday. No point working until I know that the world will still exist...

Well, I for one, am excited about this news. Regardless of whether or not they actually find the Higgs boson, this is an amazing step for particle physics.

Science is awesome.

A black whole will form over Switzerland and the whole world will implode!


Sweet!

Likely considerable advances in particle physics, which will no doubt prove useful in a wide variety of fields in the near future. In particular, the future of electronics lies in the world of particles, so it's not hard to imagine the LHC will play a pioneering role in the basic physics research that will bring each new generation of electronic technology.

I mean, viable quantum computers are pretty damn close to functionality, and we've just nailed the fourth fundamental circuit, so it seems like the door is being opened to even weirder stuff beyond. I think I'd probably shew considerable horror at a 10th-dimensional porn site, but the future is bright...

Either something awesome will be discovered, or it'll malfunction and end in horrid disappointment.

Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use.

Overhear in Spain, circa 1492...

...."So what you think about this Columbus chap?"

Don Yootopia replies...

"Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use."

Two possibilties: we discover the Higgs boson, and therefore complete the standard model, or, we don't, and we need to throw the standard model out because it's wrong.

Either way, some very interesting new physics is going to come out of the LHC.

Comon End of the World! I got $1 million on End of the World!

Overhear in Spain, circa 1492...

...."So what you think about this Columbus chap?"

Don Yootopia replies...

"Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use."
Eh, discovering about the planet you're on = handy times. The discovery of the Americas helped Western Europe become what it is today. Could probably do with discovering more about the more unmapped bits of the sea to see what we can take from it and use it for.

Discovering how the universe was made is sort of interesting, but not awfully practical in 'real' terms, at least to my eyes.

Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use.

ALL science has a practical use, and all knowledge is valuable.

For example, Stephen Baxter(you being a Brit, you've probably heard of him) had this extremely FASCINATING idea about how the Higgs bosen, if found, could be used to harness a completely clean and extremely powerful source of energy. I have no idea how close that is to reality--Stephen Baxter, as I understand, is damned good about making sure his science is right--but it's an idea nonetheless.

The point is that anything could be useful, and dismissing it because we don't know one exactly right now is foolish and short-sighted, and I'd have thought you of all people would know better.

I think it would be ironic if they end up with absolutely no new information, or better yet, if they ended up disproving the astronomically unfeasible "big-bang" theory.

I think it would be ironic if they end up with absolutely no new information, or better yet, if they ended up disproving the astronomically unfeasible "big-bang" theory.
It'd be more amusing if nothing happened because of some small irregularity in the LHC's construction, or if it shorted and took out the electricity across Western Europe.

ALL science has a practical use, and all knowledge is valuable.

For example, Stephen Baxter(you being a Brit, you've probably heard of him) had this extremely FASCINATING idea about how the Higgs bosen, if found, could be used to harness a completely clean and extremely powerful source of energy. I have no idea how close that is to reality--Stephen Baxter, as I understand, is damned good about making sure his science is right--but it's an idea nonetheless.
He's a fiction author. Hard sci-fi, yes, fiction, yes. I'm very skeptical about essentially zero-point energy.
The point is that anything could be useful, and dismissing it because we don't know one exactly right now is foolish and short-sighted, and I'd have thought you of all people would know better.
Yeah, sorry, this nigh-on four month holiday where I've had nothing to really do has made me fairly stupid tbqh.
I think it would be ironic if they end up with absolutely no new information, or better yet, if they ended up disproving the astronomically unfeasible "big-bang" theory.
Yeah, that won't happen.

it'll be useful if they discover a way of turning the higgs field off.

He's a fiction author. Hard sci-fi, yes, fiction, yes. I'm very skeptical about essentially zero-point energy.
Well, yeah, me too, but it's just an example of what sort of things might lie undiscovered. Might being the key word, of course.

Yeah, sorry, this nigh-on four month holiday where I've had nothing to really do has made me fairly stupid tbqh.


S'okay. Happens to the best of us. And I was too harsh there. Not fair to you. http://generalitemafia.ipbfree.com/uploads/ipbfree.com/generalitemafia/emo-Hug_emoticon.gif

Eh, discovering about the planet you're on = handy times. The discovery of the Americas helped Western Europe become what it is today. Could probably do with discovering more about the more unmapped bits of the sea to see what we can take from it and use it for.

Discovering how the universe was made is sort of interesting, but not awfully practical in 'real' terms, at least to my eyes.

Our frontiers of knowledge are at polar opposites, the universe and our own brain, we've a pretty good idea of the rest.

The perception of both are highly influenced by each other.

My favourite stoned phrase is that, at one and the same time, we're an insignificant dot on the vast landscape [can it just be 'scape'?] of the universe while also being the most important thing in that universe, because we're 'me'.

We cannot understand one without the other.

World won't end, probably (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/05/lhc_to_leave_fabric_of_spacetime_continuum_unripped/)

Either something awesome will be discovered, or it'll malfunction and end in horrid disappointment.

Kinda like life, really.

I hope something completely unexpected and bizarre happens. I hope it rains butterscotch pudding all over western Europe.

What do YOU think will happen?
It’s a brand new day
And the sun is high
All the angels sing
Because you’re gonna die.

Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use.


Tsktsk. Knowledge has a way of proving to be useful after a few years. As they said when they discovered how to make electricity: "no idea what use it is, but you can probably tax it".

It’s a brand new day
And the sun is high
All the angels sing
Because you’re gonna die.

You mean Jesus is gonna come again when they turn it on ?
Halleluja ! Praise CERN !

CERN researchers have been threatened not to turn it on, because it might destroy the world. That amused me slightly because if it does destroy the world, no one can carry out those threats; and if it doesn't, the threats were entirely unwarranted.
(And considering they're not really doing anything nature isn't doing already, it's a baseless fear anyway.)

CERN researchers have been threatened not to turn it on, because it might destroy the world. That amused me slightly because if it does destroy the world, no one can carry out those threats

Untrue. What they fear is that a black hole would form that does not evaporate but instead "would increase in size" constantly. Destruction of earth would then be slow - plenty of time to carry out threats.

Two possibilties: we discover the Higgs boson, and therefore complete the standard model, or, we don't, and we need to throw the standard model out because it's wrong.


No, two possibilities: they discover the Higgs boson and complete the standard model, or they don't, and start working on a way to make the standard model work without the Higgs boson.
Kinda like the string theory: endlessly "augmentable", 'cus you can't not believe this theory is the Holy Grail itself!

No, two possibilities: they discover the Higgs boson and complete the standard model, or they don't, and start working on a way to make the standard model work without the Higgs boson.
Kinda like the string theory: endlessly "augmentable", 'cus you can't not believe this theory is the Holy Grail itself!

Not really. The lower-bound energy of the Higgs Boson predicted by the Standard Model without string theory is much, much higher than what the LHC is capable of putting out.
The energy level the LHC is capable of bringing proton collisions to is comparable to the lower-bound energy for the Higgs Boson under a few different interpretations of string theory (M Theory being one of them), however. As such, discovery of the particle would add weight to the viability of string theory research.
Failing to find it, aside from wasting massive amounts of money, would just lead to a call for a bigger smasher, most likely. One that (Oh gods, I hope) would not get funding.

Well, if the Higg's Boson causes mass and mass causes gravity, then this is one step closer to controlling gravity.

Destruction of earth would then be slow - plenty of time to carry out threats.
But not plenty of point to carry out threats while the world is ending anyway.

Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use.

How can you be so sure? When Heron of Alexandria discovered the principles of the steam engine in the first century AD, it didn't exactly revolutionize the Roman civilization. Sometimes knowledge needs time to become relevant.

No, two possibilities: they discover the Higgs boson and complete the standard model, or they don't, and start working on a way to make the standard model work without the Higgs boson.
Kinda like the string theory: endlessly "augmentable", 'cus you can't not believe this theory is the Holy Grail itself!

Not really. Without the higgs boson, the standard model doesn't work (or rather, it only works in certain situations, which is a sign of an incomplete and incorrect model). If the higgs boson doesn't exist (and there's no point in going larger than the LHC to check, they'll either be the ones to detect it or it probably doesn't exist) then the standard model is fundamentally flawed. There'd need to be an entirely new theory to fix its flaws.

Untrue. What they fear is that a black hole would form that does not evaporate but instead "would increase in size" constantly.I very much doubt the people that are threatening violence are the type that even know black holes come in different sizes.

Destruction of earth would then be slowMy guess would be that collapse would be pretty fast; 20 to 30 minutes. The black hole would sink to the middle of the earth, and all matter would push itself into it at an increasing rate (due to momentum). Although I suppose conservation of angular momentum would have to keep some amount of matter outside the event horizon (spinning around the black hole, rather than falling in).

Anyone have anything better than a guess? A computer simulation would be nice.


I probably just haven't a good sense of the physics involved
http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2007/05/18/black-holes-for-everyone :
"In this case, they will sink to the center of the Earth and begin devouring us all (at a rate of about one particle every few years)."

So you have about the age of the sun left for revenge. Unless we get out of this solar system.

What do YOU think will happen?
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/BlackHole.gif

Well, not really - but that smiley is just too good not to use it!

I very much doubt the people that are threatening violence are the type that even know black holes come in different sizes.

My guess would be that collapse would be pretty fast; 20 to 30 minutes. The black hole would sink to the middle of the earth, and all matter would push itself into it at an increasing rate (due to momentum). Although I suppose conservation of angular momentum would have to keep some amount of matter outside the event horizon (spinning around the black hole, rather than falling in).

Anyone have anything better than a guess? A computer simulation would be nice.


I probably just haven't a good sense of the physics involved
http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2007/05/18/black-holes-for-everyone :
"In this case, they will sink to the center of the Earth and begin devouring us all (at a rate of about one particle every few years)."

So you have about the age of the sun left for revenge. Unless we get out of this solar system.

Even if you were right about it being a relatively fast event, you completely forgot to take relativity into effect and take into account the slowing of time.

World won't end, probably (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/05/lhc_to_leave_fabric_of_spacetime_continuum_unripped/)
You have to love The Register...
This will permit the whole of physics and perhaps therefore all knowledge to be rendered invalid, and allow many shouty, arm-waving, incomprehensible arguments to take place in front of blackboards
Peachy :p

Being sucked into a black hole is prefreable to the eco terrorists winning.

crosses fingers for blackhole*

Even if you were right about it being a relatively fast event, you completely forgot to take relativity into effect and take into account the slowing of time.

Time dilation would have to be taken into account. Depending on the rate of increase of the black hole, it could take a very, very long time for humans to feel the effects.

i want Ray guns dammit. this stuff better get us closer to ray guns.

Time dilation would have to be taken into account. Depending on the rate of increase of the black hole, it could take a very, very long time for humans to feel the effects.

Is there a way we can tell if the black holes stay alive or will I lose my mind contemplating whether or not time is slowing down and my fate is sealed?

Is there a way we can tell if the black holes stay alive or will I lose my mind contemplating whether or not time is slowing down and my fate is sealed?

We really won't know that Hawking radiation exists until we've found a way to observe it, something we presently can't do. Hawking's formulation relies on a semiclassical interpretation of how Black Holes work, essentially requiring them to undergo black body radiation based on the amount of energy packed within them.
Any object that has a temperature above 0K (i.e. ANY object) radiated at a wavelength inversely proportional to the temperature. The human body has a temperature of around 310K, and so radiates at around 10um, or the far infrared (This is, incidentally, why pit vipers and IR goggles see a waveband around 10um). The sun radiates in the visible wavelengths because it has a temperature of around 6000K (which is why the human eye, and most animals' eyes are adapted to see in this wavelength range). Incidentally, empty space radiates in the microwave ranges (hence the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation) due to it being fricking cold, but not absolute zero (it's something really low).
Since temperature is in part reliant on the energy contained within an object, a black hole should radiate like a black body. This should result in a black hole that is not in the process of accreting matter losing its mass to Hawking radiation over time. This would, naturally take an obscene amount of time, in the case of a stellar black hole, and well beyond the lifetime of the universe for a SMBH, but for the near-infinitesimal black holes that could theoretically be created by the LHC, this evaporation due to Hawking radiation would happen very, very rapidly. Probably before the black hole even made it to the detectors and beyond.

At some point I'll go back and put together some calculations to back this up, but I (somewhat coincidentally) have to get back to my Special Relativity homework.

Hawking's formulation relies on a semiclassical interpretation of how Black Holes work....
And also on the assumption that the particle-conservation laws don't apply, which makes it problematic why they apply to single particles either. All neutrons ought to vaporize instantaneously, under Hawking's model.

Time dilation would have to be taken into account. Depending on the rate of increase of the black hole, it could take a very, very long time for humans to feel the effects.

Err, yes, time dilation. Yay mixed up terms!

Would it keep us from leaving the planet? Or would we still be able to do whatever for awhile?

For that matter, what's the range of the time dilation?

The Combine should be arriving soon.

You have no idea. No idea at all.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2131/freemanae8.jpg

You have no idea. No idea at all.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2131/freemanae8.jpg

I hope he torqued that thing to spec.

i want Ray guns dammit. this stuff better get us closer to ray guns.
Hey, just what you see, pal. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H47QlGq3zQ4)

I hope he torqued that thing to spec.

Word is, there's this guy called Breen being tapped for the position of Administrator for the facility.

You have no idea. No idea at all.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2131/freemanae8.jpg

Damn that game was horrible.

And yes, I'm talking about the original Half-Life. And yes, I know you're going to tell me I'm an idiot. I don't care. It sucked.

Damn that game was horrible.

And yes, I'm talking about the original Half-Life. And yes, I know you're going to tell me I'm an idiot. I don't care. It sucked.
It was very well-produced. I'd agree, in many places it was utter, utter pish, but it wasn't horrible overall, that would be as wrong as calling it the best game EVER is also wrong.

And yes, I'm valuing peoples' opinions.

It was very well-produced. I'd agree, in many places it was utter, utter pish, but it wasn't horrible overall, that would be as wrong as calling it the best game EVER is also wrong.

My initial reaction to it was that it was bad just because it kept getting promoted so much as some sort of super good game.

Yet it was worse than a lot of similar FPS games released around the same time that I had played.

I did like the weapon selector feature though.

And yes, I'm valuing peoples' opinions.

I'm glad. Few people tend to on something like this. Hence why I didn't bother to go into real detail, since I figured the answer would just be "you're an idiot."

My initial reaction to it was that it was bad just because it kept getting promoted so much as some sort of super good game.
Yeah, you have to get over the hype to play it properly, or you get a very, very skewed picture of it either way.

Much like Shogun : Total War, which was spectacularly average and contained exploits aplenty. The first time I played it, I thought "GAH THIS IS RUBBISH" because it won a trillion awards. Then I played it again a couple of months after the whole Best 100 Games EVAR thing in PC Gamer and reckoned that it was pretty passable. Still nothing spiff, mind.
Yet it was worse than a lot of similar FPS games released around the same time that I had played.
Like what? Quake 2? Sin? Seriously?
I did like the weapon selector feature though.
Aye, that was decent. The only thing I found really obnoxious was the last couple of hours, which was platforming bullshit 'broken up' by piss easy / unbelievably difficult fight scenes.

Yeah, you have to get over the hype to play it properly, or you get a very, very skewed picture of it either way.

Much like Shogun : Total War, which was spectacularly average and contained exploits aplenty. The first time I played it, I thought "GAH THIS IS RUBBISH" because it won a trillion awards. Then I played it again a couple of months after the whole Best 100 Games EVAR thing in PC Gamer and reckoned that it was pretty passable. Still nothing spiff, mind.
Maybe I'll give it another shot at some point.

Like what? Quake 2? Sin? Seriously?

Okay, I was actually comparing it to Star Trek: Elite Force...which came out a year later...:(

Also to Duke Nukem 3D.

Aye, that was decent. The only thing I found really obnoxious was the last couple of hours, which was platforming bullshit 'broken up' by piss easy / unbelievably difficult fight scenes.
Yeah, that was so absolutely ridiculous. I hate it when games stick something the game simply doesn't need or can do well into it. It's great to use stuff like that if the game can do it well, but if it CAN'T, DON'T BLOODY DO IT!

And also on the assumption that the particle-conservation laws don't apply, which makes it problematic why they apply to single particles either. All neutrons ought to vaporize instantaneously, under Hawking's model.

Can you explain this, in a dumbed-down form, please? I haven't heard anything about it, but having never taken a formal class on the subject of GR in general and black holes in particular I'm at a loss to understand it from what little I've read on the subject.

Maybe I'll give it another shot at some point.
I'd wait on that project people are doing to bring HL1 to HL2. That ought to be pretty good. HL1 looks like sick, which is disappointing.
Okay, I was actually comparing it to Star Trek: Elite Force...which came out a year later...:(
Only a year? Really? I thought that Half-Life was like Klingon Honour Guard days, no?
Also to Duke Nukem 3D.
Actually not a very good game. The best FPS game of that era would probably be the original Alien vs. Predator. In my opinion.

*edits*

Oh mans this is a massive jack, sorry all.

ALL science has a practical use, and all knowledge is valuable.

For example, Stephen Baxter(you being a Brit, you've probably heard of him) had this extremely FASCINATING idea about how the Higgs bosen, if found, could be used to harness a completely clean and extremely powerful source of energy. I have no idea how close that is to reality--Stephen Baxter, as I understand, is damned good about making sure his science is right--but it's an idea nonetheless.

The point is that anything could be useful, and dismissing it because we don't know one exactly right now is foolish and short-sighted, and I'd have thought you of all people would know better.

He does a very good job comparatively of checking such things ... I tend to love his novels immensely myself

I'd wait on that project people are doing to bring HL1 to HL2. That ought to be pretty good. HL1 looks like sick, which is disappointing.
Indeed.

Only a year? Really? I thought that Half-Life was like Klingon Honour Guard days, no?

About a year, yeah. Surprising when you think about it.

Actually not a very good game. The best FPS game of that era would probably be the original Alien vs. Predator. In my opinion.

Well, I remember enjoying it, mainly because it was one of the only ones I was ever able to play.

Of course now I find it absolutely disgusting just how badly it denigrates women...:rolleyes:
*edits*

Oh mans this is a massive jack, sorry all.
Eh, black holes, video games, it's all the same.

UpwardThrust: Oh yes, indeed. I really want to read that new Flood book of his...but the library doesn't have it yet. :(

Oh mans this is a massive jack, sorry all.

It's my thread, MINE, and I say threadjacks are perfectly acceptable.

*barricades door and sets booby traps for the Mods*

Well, I remember enjoying it, mainly because it was one of the only ones I was ever able to play.

Of course now I find it absolutely disgusting just how badly it denigrates women...:rolleyes:
It was alright if you didn't want anything more than Doom with strippers, I guess.

It was alright if you didn't want anything more than Doom with strippers, I guess.

Oh, I know it's not a good game NOW. I'm just saying I thought it was good at the time. As I said, I didn't have much else. (I was only...eleven? Twelve? Not sure.)

Oh, I know it's not a good game NOW. I'm just saying I thought it was good at the time. As I said, I didn't have much else. (I was only...eleven? Twelve? Not sure.)
Fair doos, I thought Jazz Jackrabbit was good when I was 11 :tongue:

Fair doos, I thought Jazz Jackrabbit was good when I was 11 :tongue:

Hey! Don't diss Jazz Jackrabbit. That game was awesome, back in the day. I've actually still got a cd pair of 100 games and game demos from around that time period that I picked up at a computer show years ago that has the first zone of Jazz Jackrabbit on it.

I, for one, welcome our new mini black hole overlords.

Damn that game was horrible.

And yes, I'm talking about the original Half-Life. And yes, I know you're going to tell me I'm an idiot. I don't care. It sucked.

You're an idiot :p

Well, I loved Half-life and still do. The story development and characters were beyond any other FPS I'd played at the time.

As an astrophysics major, I am very excited about this. My department is hosting a pajama party tonight.

And I'm pretty sure that something useful will come out of this. Don't know what - that's part of the fun.

As an astrophysics major, I am very excited about this. My department is hosting a pajama party tonight.

And I'm pretty sure that something useful will come out of this. Don't know what - that's part of the fun.

Will come out of what, the LHC, or the pajama party? I'd imagine it's the former, only because Physics departments tend to be sausage fests.

I think it would be ironic if they end up with absolutely no new information, or better yet, if they ended up disproving the astronomically unfeasible "big-bang" theory.
How exactly is the Big Bang theory more unfeasible than intrinsic redshifts or a very precise quantity of hydrogen coming out of nowhere every so often (and eventually forming new galaxies) or any other steady state cosmology idea?

We know that most other galaxies are receding from us and we know that their recession velocity correlates linearly with their distance from us. This suggests that the galaxies were closer together in the past... et c.

Will come out of what, the LHC, or the pajama party? I'd imagine it's the former, only because Physics departments tend to be sausage fests.
*points to self* girl, in a physics and astronomy department

*points to self* girl, in a physics and astronomy department

*wounded look* I didn't say it was a total sausage fest. One of the two remaining girls in my department (we have a plethora of grad students) works in my lab. In fact I've spent a good portion of the past few weeks deliberating on whether or not I wanted to risk trying to date a colleague, as I found out she is recently single.

How exactly is the Big Bang theory more unfeasible than intrinsic redshifts or a very precise quantity of hydrogen coming out of nowhere every so often (and eventually forming new galaxies) or any other steady state cosmology idea?

We know that most other galaxies are receding from us and we know that their recession velocity correlates linearly with their distance from us. This suggests that the galaxies were closer together in the past... et c.

I imagine he's much more likely invoking the "Jesus did it" approach to cosmology.

*wounded look* I didn't say it was a total sausage fest. One of the two remaining girls in my department (we have a plethora of grad students) works in my lab. In fact I've spent a good portion of the past few weeks deliberating on whether or not I wanted to risk trying to date a colleague, as I found out she is recently single.
...well, I would be among the plethora of grad students... but the plan is to eventually be in an astronomy department as a faculty member *somewhere* and I'm not likely to change my gender in between.

Oh, and as far as dating colleagues goes, it probably doesn't hurt to try although it's probably a good idea if you know them somewhat well and have some idea of whether they're one of those people who goes nuts after a breakup or whether she keeps (or can keep) on friendly terms with exes. If it's the latter (and the latter for you too) then the worst case is it ends and it's awkward for a bit and you move on (unless your department has rules against this, but given the frequency of couples existing in the physics and astro departments I've seen this is probably not a common thing).

I imagine he's much more likely invoking the "Jesus did it" approach to cosmology.
This is possible, but I'd like to sort of give people the benefit of the doubt and suppose that they have something that can at least be tested in mind when they say the big bang is garbage.

...well, I would be among the plethora of grad students... but the plan is to eventually be in an astronomy department as a faculty member *somewhere* and I'm not likely to change my gender in between.

Oh, and as far as dating colleagues goes, it probably doesn't hurt to try although it's probably a good idea if you know them somewhat well and have some idea of whether they're one of those people who goes nuts after a breakup or whether she keeps (or can keep) on friendly terms with exes. If it's the latter (and the latter for you too) then the worst case is it ends and it's awkward for a bit and you move on (unless your department has rules against this, but given the frequency of couples existing in the physics and astro departments I've seen this is probably not a common thing).

Granted, and there are quite a few female physics faculty here, as well. But I guess it's mainly the undergrads where we suffer from a lack of teh wimminz.

Yeah, I'm taking it pretty slow right now. She recently broke it off with her boyfriend of a while, and it was because of him cheating on her, so I'm giving a little room partly to not end up as the rebound guy, and partly to figure out what you're talking about with regard to breakups.

We'll see how it goes.

Time dilation would have to be taken into account. Depending on the rate of increase of the black hole, it could take a very, very long time for humans to feel the effects.

Even if it formed a micro-black hole it wouldn't do much. It'd only have the mass of a few particles. At such a low mass it most likely wouldn't overcome the.. force who's name escapes me that causes extremely small scale items to stay separate.

Even if it formed a micro-black hole it wouldn't do much. It'd only have the mass of a few particles. At such a low mass it most likely wouldn't overcome the.. force who's name escapes me that causes extremely small scale items to stay separate.

There would be no more time dialation with a micro black hole than the time dialation your hand causes. Time dialation is caused by mass and gravity. Micro black holes have the mass of a few particles.

How exactly is the Big Bang theory more unfeasible than intrinsic redshifts or a very precise quantity of hydrogen coming out of nowhere every so often (and eventually forming new galaxies) or any other steady state cosmology idea?

We know that most other galaxies are receding from us and we know that their recession velocity correlates linearly with their distance from us. This suggests that the galaxies were closer together in the past... et c.

I would think a complete and total misunderstanding of the theory in and of itself produces such a statement. Basically, in a sense, he may think the "Big Bang Theory" is like throwing a match into a box of dynamite. Not that I'm an expert on the issue(The only knowledge I have on it is my Astronomy 104 class-basically, a passing lay-person knowledge), but I know that's not exactly how it went. :D

Will they have a webcast of the event?

There would be no more time dialation with a micro black hole than the time dialation your hand causes. Time dialation is caused by mass and gravity. Micro black holes have the mass of a few particles.

Actually it'd be a billion times less. Also I didn't mention time dilation.

I've managed to accidentally convince a few friends that we WILL all die. Lol.

Will they have a webcast of the event?

http://lhc-first-beam.web.cern.ch/lhc-first-beam/Welcome.html

Live webcast
(from 8:30 on 10 September)

Local time, of course (GMT+1, I believe)

Actually it'd be a billion times less. Also I didn't mention time dilation.

Obviously it'd be billions of times less. Time dilation was mentioned in the post you quoted, I couldn't be bothered going back to find which one you DID quote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVrUR_SOykk

This video is 5 years of CERN construction squashed into 5 minutes

The music on the video is Ravel's Bolero and, perhaps, his own criticism of the piece may aptly describe this project as well...

What do YOU think will happen?

See, this is why you don't let scientists run things. 5 years? FIVE years?

Duh. Any idiot could have told them, just press the 'Rush Build' button. N00bs.

Can you explain this, in a dumbed-down form, please? I haven't heard anything about it, but having never taken a formal class on the subject of GR in general and black holes in particular I'm at a loss to understand it from what little I've read on the subject.

Various particles belong to classes which are strictly counted: protons and neutrons are in the baryon class (along with lambdas, and other short-lived oddities), meaning that if the number of protons goes down the number of neutrons goes up, to keep the total number of baryons constant. The electron is in a class with the e-neutrino, so when a neutron changes to a proton, it emits an electron (for conservation of charge) and also an anti-e-neutrino that counts as minus-one on the e-count. (For some thoroughly unexplained reason, the muon, which is exactly like the electron except 200 times heavier, has its separate mu-neutrino keeping a separate mu-count; and recently we've found a tau, which is 10 times heavier than a muon, and has its own tau-neutrino and tau-count; but other particles like the photon have no count, you can make as many new photons as you like, anytime.)

Now if ten neutrons get squashed together into a micro-black-hole, Hawkings says it will evaporate into a bunch of photons and electrons and anti-electrons and whatnot, changing the baryon count from ten to zero. Hawkings doesn't see this as a problem, because there isn't any known reason why ANY of these particle-counts are conserved; but if the count could change from 10 to zero, why could it never change from 1 to zero? My suspicion is that Hawkings is wrong, but to justify that I would have to come up with a new theory of particle physics replacing the Standard Model, and if I had any prospect of doing so, I would be much better paid than I am.

Various particles belong to classes which are strictly counted: protons and neutrons are in the baryon class (along with lambdas, and other short-lived oddities), meaning that if the number of protons goes down the number of neutrons goes up, to keep the total number of baryons constant. The electron is in a class with the e-neutrino, so when a neutron changes to a proton, it emits an electron (for conservation of charge) and also an anti-e-neutrino that counts as minus-one on the e-count. (For some thoroughly unexplained reason, the muon, which is exactly like the electron except 200 times heavier, has its separate mu-neutrino keeping a separate mu-count; and recently we've found a tau, which is 10 times heavier than a muon, and has its own tau-neutrino and tau-count; but other particles like the photon have no count, you can make as many new photons as you like, anytime.)

Now if ten neutrons get squashed together into a micro-black-hole, Hawkings says it will evaporate into a bunch of photons and electrons and anti-electrons and whatnot, changing the baryon count from ten to zero. Hawkings doesn't see this as a problem, because there isn't any known reason why ANY of these particle-counts are conserved; but if the count could change from 10 to zero, why could it never change from 1 to zero? My suspicion is that Hawkings is wrong, but to justify that I would have to come up with a new theory of particle physics replacing the Standard Model, and if I had any prospect of doing so, I would be much better paid than I am.

Just a wild stab in the dark... what if the count in one category goes down, but another goes up? Not business as susual, perhaps... but we're not necessarily talking about a business as usual situation.

Just a wild stab in the dark... what if the count in one category goes down, but another goes up? Not business as susual, perhaps... but we're not necessarily talking about a business as usual situation.There are suspicions that such things happen: USUALLY the e-count and the mu-count and the tau-count each stay constant, but SOMETIMES a tau changes to a mu. Nobody really knows why any of the counts are conserved, so until somebody comes up with a comprehensive theory, your guess is as good as mine, and mine is as good as Hawkings'.

Alright, It's been fun guys, too bad we're all gonna die. Damn Mayans were off by 4 years.

-.-

Alright, It's been fun guys, too bad we're all gonna die. Damn Aztecs (or was it Incas?) were off by 4 years.

-.-It was neither the Aztecs nor the Incas. It was the Mayans.

Sometimes I'm so nerdly even I can't stand it

Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use.
Well, it's better to waste money on that than on killing other people or polluting the environment even more... :p

Well, it's better to waste money on that than on killing other people or polluting the environment even more... :p

And, let's face it - it looks fucking killer. That's worth billions, on it's own.

It's like a worldwide monument to geekdom.

And, let's face it - it looks fucking killer. That's worth billions, on it's own.

It's like a worldwide monument to geekdom.

Now, if they could only add nuclear explosions to that...

Now, if they could only add nuclear explosions to that...

I think, overall, we're supposed to be rather hoping that they don't.

And that the world doesn't suddenly turn inside-out.

I think, overall, we're supposed to be rather hoping that they don't.

And that the world doesn't suddenly turn inside-out.
Not even a teeny weeny mushroom cloud? :(

Not even a teeny weeny mushroom cloud? :(

We could order in mushroom pizza?

No?

Various particles belong to classes which are strictly counted: protons and neutrons are in the baryon class (along with lambdas, and other short-lived oddities), meaning that if the number of protons goes down the number of neutrons goes up, to keep the total number of baryons constant. The electron is in a class with the e-neutrino, so when a neutron changes to a proton, it emits an electron (for conservation of charge) and also an anti-e-neutrino that counts as minus-one on the e-count. (For some thoroughly unexplained reason, the muon, which is exactly like the electron except 200 times heavier, has its separate mu-neutrino keeping a separate mu-count; and recently we've found a tau, which is 10 times heavier than a muon, and has its own tau-neutrino and tau-count; but other particles like the photon have no count, you can make as many new photons as you like, anytime.)

Now if ten neutrons get squashed together into a micro-black-hole, Hawkings says it will evaporate into a bunch of photons and electrons and anti-electrons and whatnot, changing the baryon count from ten to zero. Hawkings doesn't see this as a problem, because there isn't any known reason why ANY of these particle-counts are conserved; but if the count could change from 10 to zero, why could it never change from 1 to zero? My suspicion is that Hawkings is wrong, but to justify that I would have to come up with a new theory of particle physics replacing the Standard Model, and if I had any prospect of doing so, I would be much better paid than I am.

Ah, I see. I was aware of the different classes of particles, but was unaware they are so strictly conserved.

I'm curious, other than black holes, are there any other structures that could theoretically violate this conservation?

We could order in mushroom pizza?

No?

Well, a good pizza is almost worth seeing a nuclear explosion live (from a safe distance, naturally, and preferably nowhere near my backyard...)...

Almost... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVBhetpDEYo) :tongue:

I'm curious, other than black holes, are there any other structures that could theoretically violate this conservation?

The M25.

The M25.

This M25? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ringways_3_%26_4.png)

Well, a good pizza is almost worth seeing a nuclear explosion live (from a safe distance, naturally, and preferably nowhere near my backyard...)...

Almost... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVBhetpDEYo) :tongue:

Better one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZZFt5YV7uc&NR=1

:)

To be honest, I'd rather the pizza. Well, right now, anyway. I'm kinda hungry.

You call it, yet?

This M25? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ringways_3_%26_4.png)

You never read Good Omens? You NEVER display that symbol!But, yes.

You never read Good Omens? You NEVER display that symbol!But, yes.

One of the many, many Discworld novels I've never had the pleasure to read. Regrettably not stocked by my local library, and I being poor have only my dreams ...wait, I think I got a little off track.

Better one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZZFt5YV7uc&NR=1

:)
This (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1337846/nuclear_test_dominic_sunset_1mt/) isn't half bad either...

Infact the whole Dominic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joupmq4e2eM) series seemed to be highly artistic.

To be honest, I'd rather the pizza. Well, right now, anyway. I'm kinda hungry.

You call it, yet?
mmm...pizza....must resist...

~ Tries to rationalize the issue ~

Well, it's very late here so if I ate a fat loaded pizza now I probably wouldn't be able to get any sleep...

~ must fight the urge ~

edit:
fixed a link

One of the many, many Discworld novels I've never had the pleasure to read. Regrettably not stocked by my local library, and I being poor have only my dreams ...wait, I think I got a little off track.

Kudos if it's a reference to a poet. Double kudos if it's a reference to a poet made in a scifi movie. :)

It's not a discworld book, although it is the lovechild of Pratchett and Gaiman. Perhaps not the best work by either, unfortunately (well, they have burned so very very brightly), but still very good. Worth hunting down.

It was neither the Aztecs nor the Incas. It was the Mayans.

Sometimes I'm so nerdly even I can't stand it

Whatever, they all lived in the same general area. Now I just log on to wikipedia, and "Oregon is Idaho's Portugal is the opinion I have always had."

Kudos if it's a reference to a poet. Double kudos if it's a reference to a poet made in a scifi movie. :)

It's not a discworld book, although it is the lovechild of Pratchett and Gaiman. Perhaps not the best work by either, unfortunately (well, they have burned so very very brightly), but still very good. Worth hunting down.

I thought that was one of the Pratchett books I had left to read... Come to think about it that reminds me a bit of the Summoning Dark (from THUD! (thank god for wikipedia, saved me a lot of time looking up what the name of the symbol was)) except the "tail" is on the inside instead of the out.

No matter what comes of the switch-on, one thing that will not be happening is the end of the world. Honestly, do people think they didn't have to account for all "bad things," including black holes, that could be created?

No matter what comes of the switch-on, one thing that will not be happening is the end of the world. Honestly, do people think they didn't have to account for all "bad things," including black holes, that could be created?

Of course they didn't account for all the bad things.

We could all be suddenly, and mysteriously, turned into mongooses (mongeese?) dancing the Bolero. It's pretty unlikely. Probably not statistically much more likely than at any other time.

But, working out what's likely... what's probable... what's realistic? Those kinds of numbers got crunched.

Kudos if it's a reference to a poet. Double kudos if it's a reference to a poet made in a scifi movie. :)

It's not a discworld book, although it is the lovechild of Pratchett and Gaiman. Perhaps not the best work by either, unfortunately (well, they have burned so very very brightly), but still very good. Worth hunting down.

Equilibrium is hands down one of my favorite action sci-fi movies of all time. Christian Bale's acting is superb, and the fight scenes are very, very well choreographed despite the complexity that the Gun-Kata must have presented in film-making.

Plus Sean Bean's the man. Highly, highly underrated actor.

I'll have to look around for it the next time I'm aimlessly wandering through a Barnes and Noble (which is surprisingly often).

Equilibrium is hands down one of my favorite action sci-fi movies of all time. Christian Bale's acting is superb, and the fight scenes are very, very well choreographed despite the complexity that the Gun-Kata must have presented in film-making.


The choreography is impressive, and Christian Bale even more so. Not just for his acting, but for his physicality in that role. Watching the movie with the commentary, where it gets to the close-combat fight against 8 or 10 goons, and Bale nails every move, and - apparently - does so take after take... very impressive.

Defnitely one of my faves. Way up there with "Blade Runner" and "Children of Men". I find myself wondering if it would have been any better, even if it had a real budget. (Again - the commentary points out that the whole film went to market on less than the cost of the 2 minute motorbike scene in Matrix 2).


Plus Sean Bean's the man. Highly, highly underrated actor.


I haven't always liked him. I was more than impressed.

The choreography is impressive, and Christian Bale even more so. Not just for his acting, but for his physicality in that role. Watching the movie with the commentary, where it gets to the close-combat fight against 8 or 10 goons, and Bale nails every move, and - apparently - does so take after take... very impressive.

Defnitely one of my faves. Way up there with "Blade Runner" and "Children of Men". I find myself wondering if it would have been any better, even if it had a real budget. (Again - the commentary points out that the whole film went to market on less than the cost of the 2 minute motorbike scene in Matrix 2).

There really wasn't much more they could've done. It was a solid movie with the budget they had, anything more would probably have just made for silly, Matrix-esque fight scenes and special effects.

I just wish they'd put the same amount of effort into Ultraviolet, not that it really had much potential from the start.


I haven't always liked him. I was more than impressed.

I've been a fan since Goldeneye, but he has played some terrible roles in the past.

There really wasn't much more they could've done. It was a solid movie with the budget they had, anything more would probably have just made for silly, Matrix-esque fight scenes and special effects.

I just wish they'd put the same amount of effort into Ultraviolet, not that it really had much potential from the start.


I like Ultraviolet okay, actually. I know that makes me swimming against the tide. :) It had a lot of concept... too much for the time-allotment, perhaps.

But, it was no "Equilibrium". :)


I've been a fan since Goldeneye, but he has played some terrible roles in the past.

I actually liked how surprised I was. I got the same kind of pleasure from it that I got from actually liking Nicholas Cage in "City of Angels" or George Clooney in "Solaris". :D

The M25.
The M25 ain't got shit on the Magic Roundabouts near to Swindon. Oh, also, if we all die, I guess I'll meet some of you chaps and chapettes in Hell, so I guess we could have an NS meet-up there, which would be pretty cool.

The M25 ain't got shit on the Magic Roundabouts near to Swindon. Oh, also, if we all die, I guess I'll meet some of you chaps and chapettes in Hell, so I guess we could have an NS meet-up there, which would be pretty cool.

I'm quite sure I could debate my way into heaven, whether I'd want to I'm not sure.

I hope we get a tour of the respective places and their facilities before choosing.

I'm quite sure I could debate my way into heaven, whether I'd want to I'm not sure.
Nah, St. Paul is like any troll - you'll argue and argue, but you'll get tired and he will win via experience.

Nah, St. Paul is like any troll - you'll argue and argue, but you'll get tired and he will win via experience.

St Peter, no?

Or - are you saying Hell is in Minnesota?

St Peter, no?
No, St. Paul. *nods*
Or - are you saying Hell is in Minnesota?
Take away the 'in' and you're bang on.

No, St. Paul. *nods*

Take away the 'in' and you're bang on.

Hey!

Hey!
You deny it but know that I'm oh so right.

Hey!

He meant Mnesota - that place is a dump.

*see what I did thar?*

You deny it but know that I'm oh so right.

Naw I like the place generally ... I can think of worse places *shudders at north and South Dakota*

He meant Mnesota - that place is a dump.

*see what I did thar?*
Why do you hate freedom :(

He meant Mnesota - that place is a dump.

*see what I did thar?*

http://meow.catsplz.com/cats/pictures/234/I-see-what-you-did-there.jpg

Why do you hate freedom :(

Freedom tried to kill my daddy.

Freedom tried to kill my daddy.
... wait... IS THAT ONE OF THE BIN LADEN SONS?

... Wait... Is that one of the bin laden sons?

Eat freedom bullets!

Eat freedom bullets!
Err seeing as I obviously don't hate freedom, that's a bit unfair, no??

Err seeing as I obviously don't hate freedom, that's a bit unfair, no??

Why do you question freedom?

Why do you question freedom?
I don't, obviously you are abusing freedom. I hope someone relevant is reading my drunken pish btw.

I don't, obviously you are abusing freedom.

It was the bullets wasn't it?

It was the bullets wasn't it?
Aye.

For those who need a layman's understanding of what's going on, this is a description anyone can understand:

I turn from Barry, whose disregard for intellectual improvement and scientific knowledge is typical of modern Grazia-reading, X-Factor-venerating British society, to his friend Martin, who tries to explain what happened in that trillionth of a second after the big bang by using an empty beer glass - something I secretly hoped someone would do during my research for this article. "Imagine," says Martin, who has an A-level in physics and claims to have read such books as Schrödinger's Cat and the Fabric of the Cosmos and alleges that he's finished A Brief History of Time (as if), "that this glass is a very hot bowl with a frog on its rim." Right. "At the bottom of the glass are some worms that the frog wants to eat." Check. "The frog can't keep still on the glass because it's so hot and so hops around. But as the glass cools, the frog slides down, just like matter did when the universe cooled in that first second." I see, I say (lying). "But imagine if the bottom of the glass had a raised central podium on which the worms sat." Gotcha. "Well, the difference in altitude between the frog at the bottom of the glass and the worms is parallel to the Higgs field of bosons that pertained in that first second and gave all mass-bearing matter its properties." Why does the frog slide down the glass? "Because of time's arrow," says Martin, settling back in his seat proudly. Right. And what do the worms represent? "That's not important." Frankly, I don't think Martin did read all those books. Or if he did, he didn't understand them.

From a fairly amusing, if not unenlightening, article overall.

Link (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/sep/10/cern.particlephysics)

Tick-tock, 23 minutes from now

Tick-tock, 23 minutes from now

Is there a telecast?

*searches*

It's here: http://webcast.cern.ch/

Unlikely to see anything as I think it's quite popular, damn trucks.

2 minutes....

It's not working!

Ammmmm....I still seem to be here, the live update blogs don't seem to be particularly live since there's no updates so far.

Here we go...

08:46 BST
Scientists at Cern, the European particle physics laboratory in Geneva, have begun their first attempt to send a beam of protons around the Large Hadron Collider, the largest, most complex machine in the world.

The beam of protons has been injected at close to the speed of light, but there are blocks inside the machine that stop it periodically as it works its way around. Each time the beam stops, the engineers can use magnetic fields to make sure the beam is travelling down the centre of the ring. If it's off to one side, it could crash into the ring wall and stop.

We've just seen the first flash of the beam in the machine. And it looks to be well in the centre of the pipe it circulates in. The beam has now made it around the first sector, which is an eighth of the ring

Lots of applause from Cern's control room. The last time they opened a particle collider, in the 1980s, it took 12 hours to get a beam to circulate. This is moving fast so far.

Looks like it will take a while before it's properly going.

Och, BORING. Really wanted the 'minor electrical glitches' to create a giant angry monster somehow. Like the beam hits a microbe that got glued to the side of the accelerator, and transforms it or something. I don't know yer fancy science words for what that would really be called, but you know what I'm talking about, right?

Here we go...

Looks like it will take a while before it's properly going.

XX:XX BST

its over collider malfunction resonance cascade
end of humanity as we know it my god what have we done
no time to write theyre coming
theyre just outside sealed doors lord have mercy on us all

:D

XX:XX BST

its over collider malfunction resonance cascade
end of humanity as we know it my god what have we done
no time to write theyre coming
theyre just outside sealed doors lord have mercy on us all

:D

Someone on the live update I'm following has commented that they're landing in Switzerland, they'll probably call it quits and head home, perhaps pick up a Toblerone bar for mom.

Anyway...

09:04 BST
It's a big day here at Cern, the European particle physics laboratory, on the outskirts of Geneva. They have begun switching on their Large Hadron Collider, the most powerful particle smasher in the world.

The man at the controls is Lyn Evans. He's a charismatic guy, running the show in jeans, white trainers and a stripey short-sleeved shirt. Yesterday, when I met up with him, he was in shorts and a tee-shirt covered in equations.

The beam is now more than half way around the Large Hadron Collider. Lyn said this morning that it might take two hours to get the beam around if everything went well. So far, all is going fantastically smoothly though.

"We are making very good progress. The beam is now half way round the LHC," said Evans. "At this rate, let's hope that within an hour, we'll get the beam the whole way round the LHC."

There are four giant detectors around the ring, where ultimately two opposing beams will be crashed into one another. So far, the beam has gone past two of these detectors. One of the detectors has already picked up emissions from the beam striking a block that was put in place to halt the beam.

09:23
The beam has now reached the last detector, the enormous one called ATLAS. They are one sector away from a complete circuit.

Seriously, this beam is supposed to be traveling at .9 the speed of light, it's gone like 18 miles so far, who's operating this? Virgin Trains?

Seriously, this beam is supposed to be traveling at .9 the speed of light, it's gone like 18 miles so far, who's operating this? Virgin Trains?

ATLAS!good finnish quality!

09:33 BST
That's it, they've made it. One lap down. Scientists have just pulled the last block from the 17-mile-long tunnel and seen the beam of protons appear at the last stage of the Large Hadron Collider. So protons have now circulated once around the machine. It has gone extremely well for the scientists here.

They've done it in under an hour. A great first day for a machine that will take us into a new era of physics over the coming decades.

That's the slowest beam you'll see going around the LHC, at around 20mph. When it's up to speed, a proton will make more than 11,000 laps in second.

Okay, it's not going so fast so I guess it will be a while before it smashes, guess I should finish this report then.

:(

Seriously, this beam is supposed to be traveling at .9 the speed of light, it's gone like 18 miles so far, who's operating this? Virgin Trains?

They're going slowly to make sure they've got the beam just right and that everything is working properly.

What, did you expect them to just start it up and go into full-scale experiments immediately?

They're going slowly to make sure they've got the beam just right and that everything is working properly.

What, did you expect them to just start it up and go into full-scale experiments immediately?

I guess this is why my application to run this thing was turned down.

Nothing but the wasting of billions of Euros and vast amounts of resource to find out information which will be of no practical use.


You mean: "of no practical use save from the fact that among the various technical fall off produced by the LHC project there is the new version of the World Wide Web, for now called GRID"?

However, I can say all the thing with "It can blow the world!" was a great publicity stunt for a branch of science most people normally don't even know about. They might get the money back with a good extra in a few years.

There should be t-shirts, obviously. "I tried to blow up the world and all I got was this lousy Higgs Boson". Assuming they find the Higgs Boson, that is.

There should be t-shirts, obviously. "I tried to blow up the world and all I got was this lousy Higgs Boson". Assuming they find the Higgs Boson, that is.

Damn...I thought it was a rather expensive way to find a bison.

Yay! Of course, it'll still be a couple months before we actually do any experiments. Still, at least it works!

Aw, man!

It's already kaput!!!

One of the super-cool (-270°C) huge super-conducting magnets that control the particle stream has "overheated" as in "not been cooled down enough" and burned through due to a damaged coupling between two super-magnets.

It'll take months to warm the machinery up, repair it, cool it down again, and restart the experiment.

Bummer!!!

Damned hot magnets. Ruining my science.

Aw, man!

It's already kaput!!!

One of the super-cool (-270°C) huge super-conducting magnets that control the particle stream has "overheated" as in "not been cooled down enough" and burned through due to a damaged coupling between two super-magnets.

It'll take months to warm the machinery up, repair it, cool it down again, and restart the experiment.

Bummer!!!

Honestly, I figured that something like this would happen eventually. I actually expected it to fritz out on the opening day, what with mixing European and American scientists.

Aw, man!

It's already kaput!!!

...

It'll take months to warm the machinery up, repair it, cool it down again, and restart the experiment.

Will the world never end!

Honestly, I figured that something like this would happen eventually. I actually expected it to fritz out on the opening day, what with mixing European and American scientists.
I had hoped it wouldn't happen so soon. Then again, I'm rather glad it happened now and not when it was running at full capacity.

The only reason I'm really upset is that it's a super-conductor and hence the time for cooling/warming phase that takes so long. On a "regular" collider the magnets could be replaced within a couple of days.

And as long as everyone agrees on using metrics and then actually does so, I don't see a problem.
Will the world never end!
:tongue: