Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

[angieh]

Huge scientific breakthrough (potentially!)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM

[meep]

This has been fascinating me for months Angie! So please excuse my now long, rambling post of my thoughts on the matter.

I love pondering the philosphy of sciene and life, and many of my friends are interested in either physics, or the use of 'energy' and matter (such as auras). Also, I have a few conspiracy theorist friends who believe in the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it 2012, and the New World Order theory... I have some interesting friends

I was watching a programme on the Haldon Collider on BBC Three the other day, and about the Big Bang, atoms, and matter. I'm no physicst but the one thing I don't understand is this:

- you have atoms. We know lots about atoms, I remember my lessons from school, about molecules and how H20 = water. BUT how do these atoms that we draw as little circls actually become mass? I can't quite imagine millions of teeny little atoms making up my arm, and how they differ from the skin on my hand to the nails at the tips of my fingers. As I was watching the programme, one physicist then said, after me voicing my concern aloud to my OH, that the one thing they don't know in physics is how mass exists. Eureka! I am a physicist-genius

Basically, they think there is a God-Particle that is so large it cannot exist for long, but it was present at time of Big Bang and disappered soon after. So they've never been able to see it or prove its existence. But with the LHC they should be able to recreate Big Bang, hopefull see the God-Particle whcih will prove their theories right; or if they don't see it, it means it probably 100% doesn't exist and they need to start from scratch on their theories

Regardless of how often the media reassure us on this, I am still convinced that they could create a black hole which would engulf the earth. They just don't know what they could do with the LHC, they only have theories. You can never prove anything right, you can only prove things wrong or suggest that something 99.999% right.

[angieh]

"You can never prove anything right, you can only prove things wrong or suggest that something 99.999% right."

You're spot on there, meep!

I don't think you need worry about them creating a black hole - it is all so implausible somehow! IMO lots of people like to scare themselves and somehow believe fiction to be fact! Of course, I am not a particle physicist!

[meep]

I may be scare-mongering a bit To be honest I think it's quite exciting that there is the potential the world could end.

Have just read this article on BBC, about the Higgs, or God, Particle:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7608342.stm

It explains the theory of connection between atoms and mass, fascinating stuff. Makes me wish my brain was capable of comprehending physics so I could understand it all better!

ETA: When I say I think it's exciting, I don't mean in a sadistic way; just that, it gives more gravity to the experiments and how make-or-break they could be. Quite literally!