Large Hadron Collider
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Thanks Gaieus. Yes, I have just been lurking for a while, but someone asked for proof that people knew about the LHC, so I thought now might be the time to comment.
I have been into computers for some time and had to use them a fair amount at university (my project involved analysing 10GB of simulation data and I wasn't doing that by hand); I have also always had a bit of an interest in modelling (I used to do wargaming, but was mainly interested in converting the figures and making scenery), SU gave me a nice way to combine the two. As a big fan of automation I am also looking at Ruby, which I think I am starting to get the hang of.
Ross: I would still have been interested and would no doubt have read about it in Physics World, but it may have received less attention from the general media. I don't remember seeing that much about Fermilab over here, although I have a feeling there may have been something earlier in the year. Actually, in the scientific press I have read about Fermilab recently and I have to say that their financial situation is worrying, even more so that they are not alone.
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Hi,
I think this provides an excellent answer as to "why".
@unknownuser said:
Q: Can you tell me why we are doing this experiment? I can understand that you are hoping to reveal the origins of mass by smashing tiny particles together but what advantages (besides increase in knowledge) do you expect to obtain from this?
@unknownuser said:
A: Experiment is the basis of the scientific method, without which there would be no modern world as we know it.
The quest to understand the smallest building blocks of nature and the forces that hold them together arguably began with the ancient Greeks, but it was only when we began to conduct experiments that we discovered the electron (1897), quantum mechanics (triggered by precision observations of the light emitted by elements when heated), X-rays, the atomic nucleus, radioactive decay... the list is practically endless.
Without these experimental discoveries, and the subsequent deepening of our understanding of the Universe, there would be no electronics, no silicon chips or transistors, no medical imaging technology, no nuclear power stations, no X-rays or chemotherapy treatments for cancer... again an almost endless list.
What this should teach us is two things. First, it is virtually impossible to deepen our understanding of Nature without experiments. Second, understanding Nature has never been a bad idea - indeed without the pioneers of the past century, our civilisation would be immeasurably poorer.
I do not know what the continuation of this long and illustrious quest will lead to, but I would be extremely surprised if a writer called upon to defend scientific enquiry at the turn of the 22nd Century does not point to the LHC as the foundation of a hundred new technologies, each considered essential to our quality of life.
Answer supplied by: Professor Brian Cox who is one of the LHC scientists at Cern.
A near perfect explanation in my view.
Oh boy, I really like this guy!
He finishes his interview with this gem:
@unknownuser said:
I am in fact immensely irritated by the conspiracy theorists who spread this nonsense around and try to scare people. This non-story is symptomatic of a larger mistrust in science, particularly in the US, which includes intelligent design amongst other things.
The only serious issue is why so many people who don't have the time or inclination to discover for themselves why this stuff is total crap have to be exposed to the opinions of these half-wits.
Regards
MR S -
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That site still exists (I'm also a member though browse it very rarely). I also stumbled upon SU incidentally (I'm not an architect or such).
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Latest news: They have beams going in both directions. So, fingers in ears!!
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I just want to say that although the machine is working, they are just testing to see if they can accelerate particles to the required speeds, in both ways, clockwise and counter clockwise, so far i think they will only test clockwise. The particle collisions will only happen a few months from now, so don't worry lol. We still have some more months to live, hey maybe SU7 is out before the end of the world!
Check out this funny video http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=BXzugu39pKM&feature=related
I love this comment:
"The end of the world BETTER happen this time. I was very disapointed when Y2K went to sh#t." -
I'm still here by the way, so I think our fears have been for naught.
Conspiracy theory . ..How do we know it's really down there? I mean . .who gets to see it. they faked the moon landings. couldn't they have faked this as well. they say it's 100M down. ..but IS IT???
AND besides .. it's French . .. how reliable could it be? Any of you guys ever own a Peugeot?
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yeah i have, it never once broke down, despite being second hand, and with 100,000 on the clock.
my fiat on the other hand, now that broke down most weeks, and it was brand new.
bloody italians
<--- first wink i have ever used!pav
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The suicides have already begun... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26641652/
This really is just sad that people will by into this "big bang" theory thinking it is going to destroy the earth...
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Suicides? Already? They didn't wait for the comet?
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Darn . ..My mom told me I was the God Particle.
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Have you seen this ?
Higgs boson is the name some science people have given to make God a particle.
well, lets see.I think it has been an outrage to that bit of land.
27 kms of construction under that bit.
In the future, when next experiment comes to be done, it would be great that, we, citizens of this whole LAND, could be able to vote on favour or in des_favour.
Not only the goverment and the so recognised science people.I dont like this experiment as you can see.
But I dont have any objection to it either.The only point i want to make is that, for instance , this experiment could have been taking in the outsides of the earth, in the space. And be able to do it there, not here.
Just in case.
That maybe the case.Really, who knows things overthere are going to be the same ?
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let me get up to speed here, we have the Father, the son, the holy spirit and now the divine particle too?
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it's ridiculous to put this experiment in space, this has less chance of destroying the earth than the atomic bomb, and that was not tested in space at all and they knew for certain that it is very destructive.And the other hand that would have been virtually impossible and would have cost hundreds of billions , which would have really been a waste of money.
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money does count is it ?
money can not justify the action.
it should have been investigated before under more aspects. -
Some time you have to stop theorising and just go out on a limb and do it, it's what makes us human and they spent 20 years making this project possible how many more years would you have them checking calculation for a very safe procedure, it's like spending 10 days just prepairing to cut your nails.
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I dont think many countries would throw hundreds of millions of euros in to the project if there hadnt been some serious investigation first.
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@unknownuser said:
The suicides have already begun... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26641652/
This really is just sad that people will by into this "big bang" theory thinking it is going to destroy the earth...This is an example of Darwinism, clearly not fit enough to survive.
(or maybe she just wouldn't marry the groom selected for her so honour dictated...._ -
@unknownuser said:
it's what makes us human
it's like spending 10 days just prepairing to cut your nails.
well there are also humans who likes to cut their nails every day without waiting.
I mean it is their daily_life thing they like.
and so, at least, better to ask them if they do mind, no ?what i say is that it should have been consulted.
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