Pete Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 The largest machine in the world... The fastest racetrack on the planet... The emptiest space in the Solar System... The hottest spots in the galaxy, but even colder than outer space... The biggest and most sophisticated detectors ever built... The most powerful supercomputer system in the world... How exciting is it going to be on Tuesday when they turn this on? CERN official site See it on The Big Bang Machine on BBC iPlayer The end of the world as we know it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyT Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Following that with interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Its all going to go horribly wrong. We wont be alive to know what happened, but I reckon a bit of belly-button fluff and an odd, red, nylon sock will be at the bottom of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 The largest machine in the world... The fastest racetrack on the planet... The emptiest space in the Solar System... The hottest spots in the galaxy, but even colder than outer space... The biggest and most sophisticated detectors ever built... The most powerful supercomputer system in the world... What could possibly go wrong?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Have been following this, interesting stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbeh Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Its all going to go horribly wrong. We wont be alive to know what happened Exactly whats there to worry about, it'll be like someone turning the lights off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I wonder who will make the last forum post and what it will be titled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I wonder who will make the last forum post and what it will be titled? Michael- from his undersea volcano. As for the content, no-one will know- except him. He will have the other Red nylon sock though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannhauser Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 To quote Dr. Brian Cox on the last page of the Radio Times: "...it [the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle] doesn't affect the conclusion that anyone who thinks the LHC will destroy the world is a t**t." Seems a little harsh. Just because he's got a groovy haircut and looks like a young Oliver Tobias, he thinks he's everybody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bromy Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I'm sure I saw this being built on Megastructures or something last week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 It's a pretty cool bit of kit, I'm sure there wasn't this much interest in that smaller one (in the US?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bromy Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Next showing on National Geographic Tuesday at 21:30 if we are all still alive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 A bowl of petunias and a whale... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazboy Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 What exactly are the upsides to this? Considering how 'green' we are supposed to be, this thing will suck juice like nothing else before it. Just to cool the magnets will require enough power to provide electricity to 400,000 homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I'm sure I saw this being built on Megastructures or something last week Yes you did, massive isnt it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 A bowl of petunias and a whale... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Bit of bedtime reading if you want to learn what it's all about (and I must say one of the most user-friendly guides to particle physics I've read). It's PDF so might take a few seconds to load: http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1092437/files/CERN-Brochure-2008-001-Eng.pdf A bowl of petunias and a whale... What exactly are the upsides to this? Considering how 'green' we are supposed to be, this thing will suck juice like nothing else before it. Just to cool the magnets will require enough power to provide electricity to 400,000 homes. It's designed to help us understand the fundamental laws of physics, Newton came up with the basic idea, Einstein reinvented it and nearly got it right, the results at cern *should* take us to the next step. It could potentially lead to the most important understandings of physics in modern times - unified field theory. Worth a bit of effort/expence I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazboy Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Ah- I was just wondering if this was another soggy cornfake experiment or if the results were to be used to further technology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Ah- I was just wondering if this was another soggy cornfake experiment or if the results were to be used to further technology. It just hard physics so the results won't make an immediate impact to our lives, but the potential for future technologies is endless. Nano tech, spaceflight, that sort of thing. It's the same as the previous major advances in physics, the immediate impact is unknown/non-existant, the near or distant advances change the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 My claim to fame is that I spent alot of time over a three year period helping to make the bellows (flexible sections) for the Cern project All made from stainless, all vac tested using helium.......pita job but a good earner as the thing is a money pit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 My claim to fame is that I spent alot of time over a three year period helping to make the bellows (flexible sections) for the Cern project All made from stainless, all vac tested using helium.......pita job but a good earner as the thing is a money pit. Money pit eh. So that's what sucks up all my cash. A financial black hole if you will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren-K Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 the large hadron is just a larger particle accelerator,there are loads all over the world., it will take them years to get any definable results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Money pit eh. So that's what sucks up all my cash. A financial black hole if you will. LOL:d I can't complain though, I made some good money out of it;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyT Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Bit of bedtime reading if you want to learn what it's all about (and I must say one of the most user-friendly guides to particle physics I've read). It's PDF so might take a few seconds to load: http://cdsweb.cern.ch/record/1092437/files/CERN-Brochure-2008-001-Eng.pdf It's designed to help us understand the fundamental laws of physics, Newton came up with the basic idea, Einstein reinvented it and nearly got it right, the results at cern *should* take us to the next step. It could potentially lead to the most important understandings of physics in modern times - unified field theory. Worth a bit of effort/expence I think Alongside the new evidence regarding dark matter recently witnessed, it's making science interesting again. About time we made some major advances. We need to, for everyones sake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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