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Milly Jones
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« on: 08:00:09, 09-09-2008 » |
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The Large Hadron Collider is being switched on tomorrow. What do we think of that? Will it be safe to start a mini-big-bang? The official word on that really amused me - "It will probably be safe." I'd rather have seen a " definitely" myself.  I've read a few of the scare stories. One said we could all disappear in 1/20th of a second. The other said that over the next couple of years, mountains could crumble, the sea levels would rise and the sun would be broken in half. Our particular universe could completely disappear down a black hole. So are we amused, fascinated or apprehensive? Or all of these? That's my take on it I suppose. |
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« Last Edit: 08:50:17, 09-09-2008 by Milly Jones »
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We pass this way but once. This is not a rehearsal!
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Ian_Lawson
Posts: 59
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« Reply #1 on: 08:26:23, 09-09-2008 » |
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Thousands of physicists from all over the world are going to think they have died and gone to heaven when they turn this machine on tomorrow. I wonder if some of them will be surprised to find that they actually have died and gone to heaven.
My son, who is seriously into this sort of thing, is going to a LHC party tonight. The invite is to ‘Party as if there’s no tomorrow’.
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #2 on: 08:30:32, 09-09-2008 » |
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One said we could all disappear in 1/20th of a second. .
So are we amused, fascinated or apprehensive? Or all of these? That's my take on it I suppose.
None of these If we're going to disappear in 1/20th of a second we won't notice, and there is nothing we can do about it, anyway. I do think it's entirely possible that mankind, in its lust for power (bad) or knowledge (good), will eventually destroy itself. |
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Michael
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« Reply #3 on: 08:30:56, 09-09-2008 » |
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I'm all for scientific advances and experiments for knowledge, but if there's even a slightest, merest, impossibly small chance this could eradicate humankind, I think it should wait until the day of my funeral.  http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24317385-2,00.htmlIf people aren't sure exactly what this does, check the Rap on the above link. |
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #4 on: 08:34:58, 09-09-2008 » |
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we could all disappear in 1/20th of a second. The other said that over the next couple of years, mountains could crumble, the sea levels would rise and the sun would be broken in half. Our particular universe could completely disappear down a black hole.
So are we amused, fascinated or apprehensive? Or all of these? That's my take on it I suppose.
The thing is, all of those could happen at any moment anyway. Fortunately they usually don't. Put me down for amused and fascinated. And if we disappear down a black hole tomorrow, well, it's been great knowing you all. (And in that case for martle: nyah nyah nyah.) |
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trained-pianist
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« Reply #5 on: 08:43:46, 09-09-2008 » |
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These things are usually done for publicity, to raise awareness and money for interesting project and ideas, to attract attention of the public.
I know several people working in physics and bio-medical research.
They did not tell me that in so many words, but this is what I thought after talking with them.
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IgnorantRockFan
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« Reply #6 on: 08:56:59, 09-09-2008 » |
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I've been following this with some interest for quite a while and I haven't heard a single physicist seriously propose that something bad could happen. The end-of-the-world stuff appears to be pop science journalism at its worst (and it's never very good at its best  ). |
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Allegro, ma non tanto
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Milly Jones
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« Reply #7 on: 08:57:53, 09-09-2008 » |
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The clip about the scientists receiving death threats amused me too. They'd better be quick about it under the circumstances, or it won't be necessary. All together now! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKR8wFDfq4Y |
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We pass this way but once. This is not a rehearsal!
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Ruby2
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« Reply #8 on: 09:55:48, 09-09-2008 » |
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I've been following this with some interest for quite a while and I haven't heard a single physicist seriously propose that something bad could happen. The end-of-the-world stuff appears to be pop science journalism at its worst (and it's never very good at its best ). I'm not sure - there was something on radio 4 the other day (I didn't hear it - the other half told me about it) where a scientist who I think was involved was interviewed and explained that they had looked very carefully into the possibilities of all the rather extreme sounding eventualities and decided that there was no significant risk. So they have actually acknowledged the possibility, allegedly. Which surprised me. I'm with Mary though - in the unlikely event that a black hole does appear, we wouldn't know anything about it. Mock the week were very entertaining about the whole thing though. |
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"Two wrongs don't make a right. But three rights do make a left." - Rohan Candappa
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Ted Ryder
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« Reply #9 on: 10:00:02, 09-09-2008 » |
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The clip about the scientists receiving death threats amused me too. They'd better be quick about it under the circumstances, or it won't be necessary.
I guess these people are the descendants of those who kicked up a fuss about loosing nine days of their lives when the calendar was changed. Of course a black hole may just send us flying back to Monday the 1st and put all to rights. Knowing my luck it is exactly what will happen and I shall have to make that 90 minute trip for my hospital appointment all over again. [Edited to correct quotation-box error] |
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« Last Edit: 10:03:36, 09-09-2008 by Ron Dough »
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I've got to get down to Sidcup.
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Michael
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« Reply #10 on: 10:17:49, 09-09-2008 » |
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I had a conversation with someone today who said that they heard Stephen Hawkings interviewed on the subject, and even Hawking apparently admitted there is a 1% chance that it would kill us all.  |
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Ted Ryder
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« Reply #11 on: 10:31:38, 09-09-2008 » |
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The clip about the scientists receiving death threats amused me too. They'd better be quick about it under the circumstances, or it won't be necessary.
I guess these people are the descendants of those who kicked up a fuss about loosing nine days of their lives when the calendar was changed. Of course a black hole may just send us flying back to Monday the 1st and put all to rights. Knowing my luck it is exactly what will happen and I shall have to make that 90 minute trip for my hospital appointment all over again. [Edited to correct quotation-box error] Thank you Ron. |
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I've got to get down to Sidcup.
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perfect wagnerite
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« Reply #12 on: 10:40:09, 09-09-2008 » |
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Oh dear - I feel a rant coming on, born of years of professional frustration: MOST JOURNALISTS WHO WRITE STORIES ABOUT SCIENCE ARE IGNORANT BOG-IDLE WASTERS WHO KNOW THE SQUARE ROOT OF BULGER ALL ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND WILL SPOUT THE MOST GOD-AWFUL B*****KS FED TO THEM BY CORPORATE PRs, DODGY THERAPISTS, BOGUS PHDs AND EVEN SOME BLOKE THEY MET IN THE PUB AS IF IT WERE GOSPEL TRUTH. MMR, SPIES IN THE BIN, BRAIN GYM, DIETARY FADS, ENDLESS THINGS AND ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT CAUSE CANCER ... THE LIST GOES ON.There. As you were. I feel better now. Time for a nice cup of tea. In a nice mug. Now for some rational science: http://www.aps.org/units/dpf/governance/reports/upload/lhc_saftey_statement.pdfhttp://www.lhc.ac.uk/ |
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« Last Edit: 10:42:35, 09-09-2008 by perfect wagnerite »
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At every one of these [classical] concerts in England you will find rows of weary people who are there, not because they really like classical music, but because they think they ought to like it. (Shaw, Don Juan in Hell)
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Bryn
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« Reply #13 on: 10:48:14, 09-09-2008 » |
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Oh dear - I feel a rant coming on, born of years of professional frustration: MOST JOURNALISTS WHO WRITE STORIES ABOUT SCIENCE ARE IGNORANT BOG-IDLE WASTERS WHO KNOW THE SQUARE ROOT OF BULGER ALL ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND WILL SPOUT THE MOST GOD-AWFUL B*****KS FED TO THEM BY CORPORATE PRs, DODGY THERAPISTS, BOGUS PHDs AND EVEN SOME BLOKE THEY MET IN THE PUB AS IF IT WERE GOSPEL TRUTH. MMR, SPIES IN THE BIN, BRAIN GYM, DIETARY FADS, ENDLESS THINGS AND ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT CAUSE CANCER ... THE LIST GOES ON.There. As you were. I feel better now. Time for a nice cup of tea. In a nice mug. Now for some rational science: http://www.aps.org/units/dpf/governance/reports/upload/lhc_saftey_statement.pdfhttp://www.lhc.ac.uk/Now you've really got me worried. It was some bloke in a pub who assured me there was no danger from the LHC.  |
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Ted Ryder
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« Reply #14 on: 10:50:45, 09-09-2008 » |
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.. But then as Mandy Rice-Davies said...  |
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I've got to get down to Sidcup.
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