When subatomic particles collide
FOURTEEN billion years ago, give or take, the universe was so hot that not even a single atom could survive. It took 300,000 years before the blinding energy of the Big Bang cooled enough to form matter and start the long process of making the stars and galaxies around us.
Fast forward to early 2008. Deep underground, between the Jura mountain range in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland, scientists will smash tiny particles together to generate the kind of energy that ruled the first few moments after creation.
No one is quite sure what will happen, but everyone interested in the fundamental nature of the universe is excited by the promise of finding out.
With power never seen before in an "atom smasher", the collider will re-create the conditions that existed a fraction of a second after the Big Bang and, most tantalisingly of all, perhaps create mini black holes and reveal the existence of extra dimensions of space and parallel universes.
okay, look, i read comic books and watch teevee and nothing good comes from other dimensions...does anyone not remember anniilus or the dangers of black holes or alternate dimensions/realities crossing into ours?
but hey, i'm ready for some doom, esp. of the sci-fi variety...
doooooooom!!1!!11
FOURTEEN billion years ago, give or take, the universe was so hot that not even a single atom could survive. It took 300,000 years before the blinding energy of the Big Bang cooled enough to form matter and start the long process of making the stars and galaxies around us.
Fast forward to early 2008. Deep underground, between the Jura mountain range in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland, scientists will smash tiny particles together to generate the kind of energy that ruled the first few moments after creation.
No one is quite sure what will happen, but everyone interested in the fundamental nature of the universe is excited by the promise of finding out.
With power never seen before in an "atom smasher", the collider will re-create the conditions that existed a fraction of a second after the Big Bang and, most tantalisingly of all, perhaps create mini black holes and reveal the existence of extra dimensions of space and parallel universes.
okay, look, i read comic books and watch teevee and nothing good comes from other dimensions...does anyone not remember anniilus or the dangers of black holes or alternate dimensions/realities crossing into ours?
but hey, i'm ready for some doom, esp. of the sci-fi variety...
doooooooom!!1!!11
Theoretical Physicists Develop Test for String Theory
PITTSBURGH_For decades, many scientists have criticized string theory, pointing out that it does not make predictions by which it can be tested. Now, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University; the University of California, San Diego; and The University of Texas at Austin have developed a test of string theory. Their test, described in the Jan. 26 Physical Review Letters, involves measurements of how elusive high-energy particles scatter during particle collisions. Most physicists believe that collisions will be observable at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which is set to turn on later this year at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, commonly known as CERN.
the dangers of the LHC, you ask? i refer you to not only my previous post but this from wikipedia's entry on the large hadron collider:
Safety concerns
As with the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), people both inside and outside of the physics community have voiced concern that the LHC might trigger one of several theoretical disasters capable of destroying the Earth or even the entire Universe. These include:
* Creation of a stable black hole
* Creation of strange matter that is more stable than ordinary matter
* Creation of magnetic monopoles that could catalyze proton decay
* Triggering a transition into a different quantum mechanical vacuum (see False vacuum)
CERN performed a study to investigate whether such dangerous events as micro black holes, strangelets, or magnetic monopoles could occur. The report concluded, "We find no basis for any conceivable threat." For instance, it is not possible to produce microscopic black holes unless certain untested theories are correct. Even if they are produced, they are expected to evaporate almost immediately via Hawking radiation and thus to be harmless. Perhaps the strongest argument for the safety of colliders such as the LHC comes from the simple fact that cosmic rays of much higher energies than the LHC can produce have been bombarding the Earth, Moon and other objects in the solar system for billions of years with no such effects.
However, some people remain concerned about the safety of the LHC such as the science watchdog group called the Lifeboat Foundation which has covered these dangers in detail. As with any new and untested experiment, it is not possible to say with utter certainty what will happen. John Nelson at Birmingham University stated of RHIC that "it is astonishingly unlikely that there is any risk - but I could not prove it." In academia there is some question--although among an extreme minority of scientists--of whether Hawking radiation is correct.
(italics and bolds added for emphasis)
doom!! dooooooom!!!11!
PITTSBURGH_For decades, many scientists have criticized string theory, pointing out that it does not make predictions by which it can be tested. Now, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University; the University of California, San Diego; and The University of Texas at Austin have developed a test of string theory. Their test, described in the Jan. 26 Physical Review Letters, involves measurements of how elusive high-energy particles scatter during particle collisions. Most physicists believe that collisions will be observable at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which is set to turn on later this year at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, commonly known as CERN.
the dangers of the LHC, you ask? i refer you to not only my previous post but this from wikipedia's entry on the large hadron collider:
Safety concerns
As with the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), people both inside and outside of the physics community have voiced concern that the LHC might trigger one of several theoretical disasters capable of destroying the Earth or even the entire Universe. These include:
* Creation of a stable black hole
* Creation of strange matter that is more stable than ordinary matter
* Creation of magnetic monopoles that could catalyze proton decay
* Triggering a transition into a different quantum mechanical vacuum (see False vacuum)
CERN performed a study to investigate whether such dangerous events as micro black holes, strangelets, or magnetic monopoles could occur. The report concluded, "We find no basis for any conceivable threat." For instance, it is not possible to produce microscopic black holes unless certain untested theories are correct. Even if they are produced, they are expected to evaporate almost immediately via Hawking radiation and thus to be harmless. Perhaps the strongest argument for the safety of colliders such as the LHC comes from the simple fact that cosmic rays of much higher energies than the LHC can produce have been bombarding the Earth, Moon and other objects in the solar system for billions of years with no such effects.
However, some people remain concerned about the safety of the LHC such as the science watchdog group called the Lifeboat Foundation which has covered these dangers in detail. As with any new and untested experiment, it is not possible to say with utter certainty what will happen. John Nelson at Birmingham University stated of RHIC that "it is astonishingly unlikely that there is any risk - but I could not prove it." In academia there is some question--although among an extreme minority of scientists--of whether Hawking radiation is correct.
(italics and bolds added for emphasis)
doom!! dooooooom!!!11!
Subterranean secrets of the Universe
In a cosmic-sized cavern 100 meters beneath the French-Swiss border, scientists from around the globe are making final preparations for the largest experiment the world has ever seen in an attempt to unearth the origins of the Universe.
In November next year the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) the largest -- 27km in circumference -- and highest energy -- 7 Tera-electron Volts(TeV) -- particle accelerator ever constructed will be switched on.
The LHC is the successor to the Large Electron-Positron Collider (LEP) which was operational from 1989-2000. The job of the LHC is to fire protons (high-energy particles) in opposite directions around the 27 kilometer ring at 11,000 times per second -- a velocity approaching the speed of light.
It is so powerful, it is capable of creating mini-black holes.
oh yeah! mad scientists creating mini-black holes that are going to go out of control and eat the world!
In a cosmic-sized cavern 100 meters beneath the French-Swiss border, scientists from around the globe are making final preparations for the largest experiment the world has ever seen in an attempt to unearth the origins of the Universe.
In November next year the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) the largest -- 27km in circumference -- and highest energy -- 7 Tera-electron Volts(TeV) -- particle accelerator ever constructed will be switched on.
The LHC is the successor to the Large Electron-Positron Collider (LEP) which was operational from 1989-2000. The job of the LHC is to fire protons (high-energy particles) in opposite directions around the 27 kilometer ring at 11,000 times per second -- a velocity approaching the speed of light.
It is so powerful, it is capable of creating mini-black holes.
oh yeah! mad scientists creating mini-black holes that are going to go out of control and eat the world!
bought one of those giant tub-o-ware containers full of old records and really old psychology books for forty three dollars yesterday...lots of lounge music and odd vocal pieces. good find, didn't need to add to the weight of travel though.
cheers,
m
cheers,
m
so tired of girlfriends coming home from work, taking my booze and going home with some stupid ass black kid they meet at work. if they come home at all.
going native until december. the atl crew and i are heading out. won't miss much since i never go home for the holiday bullshit.
my bests to you all...
going native until december. the atl crew and i are heading out. won't miss much since i never go home for the holiday bullshit.
my bests to you all...
still reeling from friday's episode of BSG...watched it six times now. this one episode wa better than star wars eps i - iii.
may make my return to the job thing soon. disability just doesn't cover my expenses well enough. and i am feeling close to a hundred percent.
cheers,
m
may make my return to the job thing soon. disability just doesn't cover my expenses well enough. and i am feeling close to a hundred percent.
cheers,
m
heading back to the apartment
bass guitar and leather jacket
rocking cigarettes and rain
thinking how slow the week will go
without you there
sprawled across the futon
smoking lazily
eyes deadly
sharp
looking for prey
smiling as i bring you a drink
and spin yr favorite record
my lip, still busted,
leaves lipstick-like stains
on crushed cigarette butts
i'll see you friday, you sd
somehow i doubted it
bass guitar and leather jacket
rocking cigarettes and rain
thinking how slow the week will go
without you there
sprawled across the futon
smoking lazily
eyes deadly
sharp
looking for prey
smiling as i bring you a drink
and spin yr favorite record
my lip, still busted,
leaves lipstick-like stains
on crushed cigarette butts
i'll see you friday, you sd
somehow i doubted it
