Green | September 01, 2008 | 77 comments

Court bid to stop 'end of the world'

source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/article1630897.ece

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toshiba
SCIENTISTS are trying to stop the most powerful experiment ever – saying the black holes it will create could destroy the world.

Dubbed by some the Doomsday test, it will be carried out next week in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located 300ft underground near the French-Swiss border.

The machine is 17 miles long and cost £4.4billion to create.

When its switch is pulled on September 10, this atom-smasher will become a virtual time machine, revealing what happened when the universe came into existence 14 billion years ago.

New particles of matter are expected to be discovered, new dimensions found beyond the four known, as scientists re-create conditions in the first BILLIONTHS of a second after the Big Bang.

The atom smasher ... the 17-mile-long machine that some fear will destroy our planet

Experts even predict that millions of tiny black holes will be produced — baby brothers of the monsters gobbling up dust and stars at the heart of the galaxies.

That is why boffins are now trying to stop the project with a last-ditch challenge in the courts.

They fear the LHC experimenters are tinkering with the unknown and putting mankind — and our whole planet — at risk.
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77 comments // Court bid to stop 'end of the world'

  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  

    • lol

      that list at the article is funny:

      WITH just nine days to go until the end of the world, here’s what you could get up to before it’s too late ...

      1. Eat 27 Big Mac meals. Who’s counting the calories?

      2. Visit all seven continents.

      3. Try out all 64 Kama Sutra positions.

      4. Watch the entire box sets of Lost, Heroes and Prison Break.

      5. Cruise the River Nile.

      6. Drive to Switzerland for a ringside seat of doomsday.

      7. Complete Super Mario: The Lost Levels.

      8. Catch England’s World Cup qualifiers against Andorra on Saturday and – if we’re still alive – England v Croatia on September 10 If we lose, it’ll feel like the end of the world anyway!

      9. Cancel the milk and papers.

    • 4 years ago
  • WARNING2STOP
    • 0
      WARNING2STOP  

    • NEED TO STOP ALL OF THIS SCINCE THE WORLD WAS CREATED BY THE BLACK HOLE (GOD) NOW YOUR GONNA LET MAN KIND FUCK IT UP THIS NEED TO STOP AND VOICE'S NEED TO BE HEARD CAUSE THIS IS ALL BANG OUT OF ORDER NOT TO THINK THAT ALL ARE MONEY HAS BEEN FUNDING IT MAKES ME SICK KNOWING THAT ARE MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON SHIT AND NOT TO MAKE THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE WE NEED TO SORT IT OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE EVERY HELP !!!!!!!!!!

    • 4 years ago
  • WARNING2STOP
    • 0
      WARNING2STOP  

    • NEED TO STOP ALL OF THIS SCINCE THE WORLD WAS CREATED BY THE BLACK HOLE (GOD) NOW YOUR GONNA LET MAN KIND FUCK IT UP THIS NEED TO STOP AND VOICE'S NEED TO BE HEARD CAUSE THIS IS ALL BANG OUT OF ORDER NOT TO THINK THAT ALL ARE MONEY HAS BEEN FUNDING IT MAKES ME SICK KNOWING THAT ARE MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON SHIT AND NOT TO MAKE THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE WE NEED TO SORT IT OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE EVERY HELP !!!!!!!!!!

    • 4 years ago
  • jonny2times
    • 0
      jonny2times  

    • the mental image of a kid staring into space perpetually trying to suck the last 20milliliters of a slurpee out of the cup with a spoon-straw comes to mind.

    • 4 years ago
  • xgrape_juicex
  • ineedamiracle
  • Cherish_Liberty4_All
  • Varex_Sythe
    • 0
      Varex_Sythe  

    • Well, if the creators of the atom bomb didn't worry about their creation destroying the planet before they set it off, why should these scientists worry?

    • 4 years ago
  • lifestudentno83
  • CarlosIsDown
  • ImpeachMe
    • 0
      ImpeachMe  
    • Image

    • Some one said earlier that the black holes would simply evaporate, well here it is from the experts themselves:

      How do you *know* it is safe?

      Two main reasons:

      1. Theory - Hawking himself recognized that black holes radiate. Given the energy available in the LHC, if a black hole was created it would necessarily be a very small one - a micro black hole - the energy available in the collision of two LHC protons is not a lot on a cosmological scale. The black hole would evaporate almost immediately into a shower of particles.

      2. Cosmic rays - Extremely high energy particles (orders of magnitude above the LHC) coming from outer space are incident on upper atmosphere where they collide with the nuclei of gas molecules. We see the showers resulting from these collisions at sea level. This is appears to be safe, so we can be confident that the LHC will be.

    • 4 years ago
  • MizPiz
  • Saladin
    • 0
      Saladin  
    • MizPiz:

      No, we won't die. It's fucking retarded that this even got on tv.

      We've done this experiment many times before, just not with a collider this large.

      All of the shit this article says about there being black holes or that it's supposed to recreate the big bang is totally god damn stupid and is literally about as scientific as creationism.

      The LHC is just colliding atoms together at an enormous speed to study subatomic particles. The only reason this particular experiment is so amazing is because we believe that the speed at which they're going to collide is going to reveal some wonderful new things about how our universe works.

    • 4 years ago
  • RudyRudell
  • MiguelSanchez
  • MiguelSanchez
    • 0
      MiguelSanchez  

    • It seems unlikely that this experiment could destroy the Earth,and I think that finding out "what happened when the universe came into existence 14 billion years ago." is worth the risk.

    • 4 years ago
  • Saladin
    • 0
      Saladin  

    • This is so ridiculous.

      What was once a silly joke has become a disgusting public thought.

      IT WILL NOT CREATE A BLACK HOLE. There's no fucking way that it could. Get over yourselves.

      Guess I shouldn't be surprised that the sun is covering this. Thanks Rupert Murdoch.

    • 4 years ago
  • pineapple_bandit
  • dwb2585
  • Jacques_of_Spades
  • joestick
  • regjoeschmo
  • EdKnowsAll
  • CarlosIsDown
    • 0
      CarlosIsDown  

    • Knowledge seems to be the scariest thing to man kind.

      Don't eat from the fruit of knowledge, don't be come learned men like Dr. Frankenstein or Dr. Hammond from Jurassic Park.

      Or like the chicanos say: "You got a doctorate degree? So you think you're all bad? Well we can still kick your ass!"

    • 4 years ago
  • kennyJ
  • Ragan
    • 0
      Ragan  

    • This is the greatest thing since man woke up from his reptillian ancestry. But have no fear, If US or Israel should bomb Iran in the coming weeks we wont have a thing to worry about. WWIII will take care of it all and us too. I suggest that all of these jackasses who are trying to stop this progressive scientific moment, get their act to gether and march on Washington and put an end to this Iran nonsense. Brezinski and Kissinger of the CFR seem to be provoking confrontation with Russia and trying to control the Middle east. We are out our bounds. Breezinski's book the grand chessboard is evidence of his intentions.

    • 4 years ago
  • imagism31
  • iokua_2003
  • BloxParty
  • Chapcore
    • 0
      Chapcore  
    • Image

    • Additional Data that refutes the 'black hole' scare mongering surrounding CERN research. The citation for reference of this article is in Physical Review Letters D - a fairly prominent peer-reviewed physics research journal.

      This summary should give lay readers much easier access to the facts behind the calculations, rather than speculation and just evoking arguments as 'theory.'

    • 4 years ago
  • EdKnowsAll
  • Saladin
    • 0
      Saladin  
    • Chapcore:

      Everything in the entirety of science is a "theory." That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You're making the same error or perpetuating the same nonsense that creationists make.

      If people thought like you did, nothing would ever have gotten done. And in fact, for a long time, it was that way.

      You do realize that the LHC is not the first collider right? We have ones right here in the United States. The LHC is just the only one of its size.

      Please do some fucking research chicken little.

    • 4 years ago
  • rooni71
  • SirThomas
    • 0
      SirThomas  

    • Dont you these people sjould have said ssomthing 8 years ago when the experement was commisioned? And not one week be for it is due to be used?

    • 4 years ago
  • purplefox
    • 0
      purplefox  

    • Though I reckon a lot of the fears may be exaggerated by media hype/general fear of the unknown, I can't help being a little scared at what we're going to see on the 10th. Let's hope it ends in great discoveries (or even a great anticlimax) rather than anything destructive.

    • 4 years ago
  • seeker561
    • 0
      seeker561  
    • Image

    • The "it's just a theory" argument undermines any credibility in your doubts and puts you in league with the "intelligent design" advocates at the (Anti) Discovery institute. You may as well invoke the Chicken Little warning " the sky is falling, it hit me on the head!"

      PS: I would be grateful if we could put one of those black holes up in St Paul this week, sort of like a cosmic vacuum cleaner.

    • 4 years ago
  • ApexPredator
  • Pettigrew
  • hombre76
    • 0
      hombre76  

    • Vierotchka not trusting the scientific establishment that brought us the splitting of the atom....and then used it to completely destroy two cities Nagasaki and Hiroshima is not scare-mongering its good sense. The science you demanding every one accept is just a theory and no one here or at CERN or in the opposition knows whats going to happen for sure when they turn on the LHC. So the more people like you and CERN that try to shout down or worse yet discredit much more learned people than your self Vierotchka the more it sounds like its not in CERN's best interest if this project is properly scrutinized. Basically we should all try to be a bit more cautious about what we trust unconditionally.

    • 4 years ago
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  
    • hombre76:

      Scientifically, Nagasaki and Hiroshima were successes because the nuclear bombs worked. This, however, seems to be more worthwhile than nuclear weaponry.

      More importantly several articles that refute the assumption of a black hole are readily available within this page.

    • 4 years ago
  • iokua_2003
  • bishopobispo
  • jjmaster
  • T_Rose
    • 0
      T_Rose  

    • haha this can't destroy the planet. The black holes created will be sooo small. Also the whole thing is controlled by HUGE magnets. If black holes are created they'll be in a controlled environment. L2Research before making asinine outlandish statements.

    • 4 years ago
  • Vierotchka
  • rob4goods
  • SDLN
  • Vierotchka
  • Vierotchka
    • 0
      Vierotchka  

    • Firstly, it is not an "atom smasher". Secondly, it is not designed for nor has the capacity to create black holes larger than the ones the earth is constantly receiving from the cosmos. Thirdly, this is a sensationalist article not based on any real science and published only in the worst tabloids. So don't worry, nothing untoward will happen.

    • 4 years ago
  • ImpeachMe
  • SDLN
    • 0
      SDLN  

    • Well, if this experiment is the end of the world, it sure would make all of the causes we've been fighting for over the years pretty insignificant by comparison.

    • 4 years ago
  • retired_airforce
  • Vierotchka
  • Koalabear
  • manwiththemasterplan
    • 0
      manwiththemasterplan  

    • Is it just me or has anyone else thought to simply move the experiment to a safe position out in space? I mean if it really is scientifically fathomable that this could end our time on this earth as we know it, then why take the chance? There are other black holes in space that aren't affecting us so why don't be just be safe and move this bastard to a safe distance?

    • 4 years ago
  • EdKnowsAll
  • Brianne84
    • 0
      Brianne84  

    • There have been many scientific studies on this issue. Simply put the machine is not able to produce such an effect. For billions of years every day there are forces crashing into each other in our solar system, Milky Way and all through out the Universe with a far greater force then atom smasher. So Relax!

    • 4 years ago
  • EdKnowsAll
  • arcticspirit
    • 0
      arcticspirit  

    • You know something, If the big-bang theory (yeah it's just a theory, but there are so many holes in it.. would be cool if we knew, but they can't even explain the 94% of the universe that's technically gone. They named it Dark Matter, because no one could find it, yet it would have to be there for the universe to exist as it is..) is wrong.. these guys are gonna be pissed.

      If stuff goes wrong, the real danger isn't black holes, it's going to be scientists fight among themselves, forming factions and ... you know how stuff escalates! (laughs and smiles)

      If no big-bang, does this screw the guys in quantum physics? Imagine doing this experiment and discovering No alternate and or additional dimensions.. new or old. What if it puts the string theory on it's ass or if it produces no answers to the multiple string theories or other theories they presently have? Wow.

      I don't wanna be there if nothing great happens.

      Oh wait, what if God shows up? Oh God! NO!

    • 4 years ago
  • retired_airforce
  • arcticspirit
    • 0
      arcticspirit  
    • arcticspirit:

      wow! You may be right... these guys could have been inspired by either side if you think about it. Satan might be pissed, ya never know! we humans are quite troublesome and we could have collectively made both Satan and God mad. (laughs and smiles)

      I will be upset if they blow up the world. Hopefully God would show up and recreate it at least.

      At least we have a warning so we can tell our loved ones sappy stuff that we should be saying anyhow.

    • 4 years ago
  • argyle_kitten
  • alexandrek
  • arcticspirit
  • Vierotchka
  • olly_olly_oxenfree
    • 0
      olly_olly_oxenfree  

    • Hm... well, even if blackholes are created and people are sucked into them, maybe the few people that do survive can use the information they find and save the planet again.

      Oh wait, I'm just thinking of those other scifi movies out there.

    • 4 years ago
  • 4th_Wise_Man
    • 0
      4th_Wise_Man  

    • this has the makings of a scifi doomsday movie from the 50s.
      slamming nuetrons into one another at near the speed of light kinda sems like a bad idea.
      i am all for the advancement of science, but potentialy creating the most destructive force in the universe on this planet...WTF

    • 4 years ago
  • fiat_lux088
  • toshiba
  • marpunk
  • fiat_lux088
  • jjmaster
  • justright
  • lulu81
  • marpunk
    • 0
      marpunk  

    • I hope that they do it, who knows what they'll find. The unknown is always scary to people who don't anticipate change. Then again I don't know what the machine is really capable of.

    • 4 years ago
  • deeblackangel
  • mattbrawn
    • 0
      mattbrawn  
    • Image

    • The big bad atom smasher is ready to roll!

      I'm still not sure if this is gonna be the end of mankind or the start of something completely fantastic. I guess only time (and pushing the big green button) will tell...

    • 4 years ago
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