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Justin Hale
Joined: 24 Nov 2007
Location: the Straight Talk Express
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 Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:24 pm Post subject: Small risk of Armageddon on Wednesday, warn scientists |
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But why should we now be worrying about such possible causes of Armageddon? The answer is a gargantuan machine - the largest, most expensive scientific experiment in history, the 'Large Hadron Collider', to be turned on next Wednesday. Although it was designed to answer the fundamental questions of life, some people have claimed that it could end up destroying the entire cosmos.
This gigantic �4 billion-plus atom-smasher has been built under the Swiss-French border near Geneva, and is the most powerful device ever built for probing the secrets of the atom and the forces and particles which make up our Universe. The LHC is, arguably, the most impressive machine ever built by Mankind.
But a few people are convinced that it should never be turned on. A lawsuit has been lodged at the European Court For Human Rights by a small group of maverick scientists. They claim there is a small - but not zero - chance that when the LHC is activated it will create either a mini-black hole which would fall into the ground and swallow the Earth from within (scenario one). Or, even more bizarrely, trigger a catastrophic chain reaction in the very fabric of space and time itself, which would rip apart the entire universe like the skin of a bursting balloon (scenario two).
In fact, since 1994, when the collider was first mooted by the multi-national European nuclear research organisation (CERN), a small number of doomsayers have claimed that by replicating the conditions pertaining at the start of the universe (Big Bang), about 13,700 million years ago, there would be a small but real risk an unstoppable cataclysm would take place. This is not a threat taken seriously by the scientists at CERN
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from the Mail on Sunday |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| At what time should I cross my fingers? |
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Jandar
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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Special instructions from CERN:
If you see a flash in the sky on Wednesday,
place your hands on the back of your head move your head
to a position between your knees push firmly on the back
of your head with your hands this will allow you to
kiss your ass goodbye. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Basically what the LHC is trying to do on earth is what goes on when particles from the sun hit the earth's atmosphere. Ain't no thang. |
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PeteJB
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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Well if E.T does exist, then they should be aware of the project. With their advanced knowledge of the cosmos, they would be able to determine if it is safe or not. So if it isn't safe, it's up to E.T to stop them.  |
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I_Am_The_Kiwi
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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| This means i dont have to plan lessons for next week. awesome. |
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ED209
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:38 am Post subject: |
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| PeteJB wrote: |
| Well if E.T does exist, then they should be aware of the project. With their advanced knowledge of the cosmos, they would be able to determine if it is safe or not. So if it isn't safe, it's up to E.T to stop them. |
I'm sure Dr Who will scupper the LHC with a quick flick of his sonic screwdriver. Although looking at the pictures I think there may be some Dalek technology involved. Maybe we'll get lucky and just go supernova. |
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Leslie Cheswyck
Joined: 31 May 2003
Location: University of Western Chile
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| Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:11 am Post subject: |
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Max out that credit card.
Yeah, recycled joke. |
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Gatsby
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:24 am Post subject: |
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| I'm rooting for Hadron, otherwise known as the "Tralfamadorian Scenario." |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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joshuahirtle27
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:07 am Post subject: |
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I have got to say that was to funny. :lol: |
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itaewonguy
Joined: 25 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:23 am Post subject: |
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| so when will the hollywood blockbuster come out? |
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yawarakaijin
Joined: 08 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:48 am Post subject: |
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| itaewonguy wrote: |
| so when will the hollywood blockbuster come out? |
One instance where a flawed scientific theory could make for a rather interesting movie. |
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Gollywog
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Location: Debussy's brain
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| Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:10 am Post subject: |
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How can you be sure??? |
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joshuahirtle27
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:30 am Post subject: |
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There is a old Vulcan proverb.
"Nothing unreal exists." |
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