Moment of truth for CERN

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nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
62,945
19,185
136
Originally posted by: HigherGround
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: So
Well, if the Planck Length is bigger than we think, we may all soon be dead. ;)

No, no, no... the world doesn't end until 2012. Gawd.

by the time they get to their target energies, it will be 2012 ;)

Just so long as nobody tries to move the date up on me. I've got big plans.
 

SSSnail

Lifer
Nov 29, 2006
17,458
83
86
Hmm... if they create a black hole that becomes unstable and suck up the Earth, I'm gonna have to kick some Frenchies arses.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
62,945
19,185
136
Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
why can't we spend all the money and figure out a way to make a new source of power. Something crazy like this but for the production of power...kinda like in spiderman.

Maybe the knowledge they gain from this will lead to a better understanding of the universe that allows the creation of a new source of power.

Me, I'd like to see just how much power we can extract from a source via quantum entanglement, then maybe build a space power station and transmit the power that way.
Of course, that will give everyone cancer.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,863
46,755
136
Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
why can't we spend all the money and figure out a way to make a new source of power. Something crazy like this but for the production of power...kinda like in spiderman.

ITER begins construction in France next year. The NIF here is supposed to go online in 2010.

There are many concurrent fusion projects/research programs going on all over the world.
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
17
81
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
why can't we spend all the money and figure out a way to make a new source of power. Something crazy like this but for the production of power...kinda like in spiderman.

Maybe the knowledge they gain from this will lead to a better understanding of the universe that allows the creation of a new source of power.

Me, I'd like to see just how much power we can extract from a source via quantum entanglement, then maybe build a space power station and transmit the power that way.
Of course, that will give everyone cancer.

Grey goo.
 

BooGiMaN

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
7,955
0
0
Originally posted by: KB
When they fire it up they are going to get a resonance cascade and open a wormhole to Xen.

I hope there is a guy named Gordon Freeman working there....just in case
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
17
81
Originally posted by: BooGiMaN
Originally posted by: KB
When they fire it up they are going to get a resonance cascade and open a wormhole to Xen.

I hope there is a guy named Gordon Freeman working there....just in case

Yeah, because that really worked out for everyone...
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
12
81
Originally posted by: SSSnail
Hmm... if they create a black hole that becomes unstable and suck up the Earth, I'm gonna have to kick some Frenchies arses.

If they create a black hole it'll evaporate in less than a nanosecond.
 

LegendKiller

Lifer
Mar 5, 2001
18,256
68
86
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: Zolty
Originally posted by: HigherGround
Originally posted by: ElFenix
bah, it should be us doing that, not the euros. stupid democrats. :(

huh? I worked for one of the colliders for several years and it was the Bush administration that did the most damage.

We are going to mars!!!!

Actually, the SSC was canceled under Clinton:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconducting_Super_Collider


Hmmm? Seems like somebody didn't get past the first few paragraphs...


The project was canceled by Congress in 1993.

 

LegendKiller

Lifer
Mar 5, 2001
18,256
68
86
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Originally posted by: marketsons1985
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: Zolty
Originally posted by: HigherGround
Originally posted by: ElFenix
bah, it should be us doing that, not the euros. stupid democrats. :(

huh? I worked for one of the colliders for several years and it was the Bush administration that did the most damage.

We are going to mars!!!!

Actually, the SSC was canceled under Clinton:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superconducting_Super_Collider

Yeah, but Clinton tried to save it.

However, in 1993, Clinton attempted to prevent the cancellation by requesting that Congress continue "to support this important and challenging effort" through completion because "abandoning the SSC at this point would signal that the United States is compromising its position of leadership in basic science..." [2]

Everyone knows that Clinton was a snake who spoke using two tongues.

Congress under Clinton was the best of both worlds. Fiscally conservative congress, liberal President. In some things they cut too much, but in others not enough. I do agree that them cutting this project was a huge mistake, it put the US in 2nd place (or worse).

Then the idea to not fund our own major fusion project was even worse.

We had to go pay for a stupid war instead of putting us into 1st place in science.

 

SSSnail

Lifer
Nov 29, 2006
17,458
83
86
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: SSSnail
Hmm... if they create a black hole that becomes unstable and suck up the Earth, I'm gonna have to kick some Frenchies arses.

If they create a black hole it'll evaporate in less than a nanosecond.

What if it doesn't and propagate?
 

Newfie

Senior member
Jun 15, 2005
817
0
76
Originally posted by: SSSnail
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: SSSnail
Hmm... if they create a black hole that becomes unstable and suck up the Earth, I'm gonna have to kick some Frenchies arses.

If they create a black hole it'll evaporate in less than a nanosecond.

What if it doesn't and propagate?

I have a better chance with Halle Berry then for that to happen

edit: to clarify
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
167
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
Originally posted by: Newfie
Originally posted by: SSSnail
Originally posted by: silverpig
Originally posted by: SSSnail
Hmm... if they create a black hole that becomes unstable and suck up the Earth, I'm gonna have to kick some Frenchies arses.

If they create a black hole it'll evaporate in less than a nanosecond.

What if it doesn't and propagate?

I have a better chance with Halle Berry then for that to happen

edit: to clarify

Even if it did last, what damage would it do? It's not like it would "swallow" the earth in a few seconds, or years, or centuries...

 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
Originally posted by: Mo0o
What are the practical applications of this knowledge? This is indeed really cool, mind blowing really, but it seems like the world has quite a few problems that could use the benefit of the money that went into building the collider

There is science, and then there is engineering. Science makes the big theoretical discoveries (nuclear fission), engineering applies the theory (nuclear power plant, nuclear bomb, etc). Unfortunately, most people don't realize this, and thus theoretical science doesn't get as much support.
 

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: Mo0o
What are the practical applications of this knowledge? This is indeed really cool, mind blowing really, but it seems like the world has quite a few problems that could use the benefit of the money that went into building the collider

There will always be problems. Should we stop all progress in every field and wait until all the world's problems are gone?

That wouldn't be too smart.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
Originally posted by: irishScott
Originally posted by: Mo0o
What are the practical applications of this knowledge? This is indeed really cool, mind blowing really, but it seems like the world has quite a few problems that could use the benefit of the money that went into building the collider

There is science, and then there is engineering. Science makes the big theoretical discoveries (nuclear fission), engineering applies the theory (nuclear power plant, nuclear bomb, etc). Unfortunately, most people don't realize this, and thus theoretical science doesn't get as much support.
And without pure science, we'd probably still be living in caves, and unable to consistently produce fire. Pure science helps push the boundaries of what our species can accomplish. Projects like this, and like NASA/JPL can serve as technology breeders. Technological spinoffs can come from such programs, which find their way into consumer-level markets.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
Originally posted by: ironwing
A mouse just popped out of my large hadron collider.
The thought of a mouse being rocketed through those coils at relativistic speeds, followed by a high-speed collision makes me smile for some odd reason. :D

I think colliding that much mass at high speed would cause a pretty significant explosion.