Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Science Experiment or Death Wish...

So as many of you may not know, I have been interested in this Large
Hadron Collider for many years. Actually, I remember seeing a picture
of it in some middle school science textbook and was mesmerized my it.
Of course, I haven't researched it thoroughly over the last many years
but I do know that it has always intrigued me. Now it is in the news
again but this time it is a bigger, better, and more expensive one. 5
billion USD. Ok. Whatever. Spend in the name of science. I am sure
others of you think that the money could be used elsewhere - maybe it
could but that is not the reason for this post. My reason for writing
is born out of this weird peace with the possible consequences of this
experiment that some people seem to have.

This is it. A 17 mile circumference circle of superconducting magnets
will send upwards of 600 billion particles in this ring with the
purpose of trying to make them collide with each other. Now,
obviously, the scientist probably have things under control. And as
you are reading this, the experiment has probably already begun.
Projections show that data won't be extrapolated until months from now
when these particles will finally reach 99.9% the speed of light. 0-60
in 5 seconds cannot be compared to 0-some umpteen million miles per
hour in a few months. Scientist want to find a particle, among other
things, that will help them understand the beginning of the universe.
Some people have expressed concern over this project and after reading
the following paragraph you might see why.

"If all goes according to plan, the Large Hadron Collider, a gigantic
particle accelerator underground near Geneva, could re-create the very
moment 13 billion years ago when scientists believe a tremendous
explosion known as the "big bang" created the universe."

Didn't that very moment rupture time and space catapulting all matter
(AND THE EARTH) as we know into the vast expanse? Big bang. Explosion.
Bigger than Krakatoa or a nuclear blast. Who is ok with this?

"Hey Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinking?
"Let's take over the world like you always want to do?"
"No Pinky. Let's re-create the big bang."
"Narf."

1 comment:

Greg said...

Technically, the conversation would have been:

"Hey Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinking?
"Yeah, Brain, but where are we going to find rubber underpants"
"No Pinky. Let's build a giant supercollider and re-create the big bang so that when rebuilt I can rule the world!"
"Narf."

Amateurs!