[royandroy (OP)]

Are we going to be consumed by a black hole as a result of the upcoming experiment?




[MOD - subject edited to make it a question to be consistent with forum policy. Please help us keep the forum shipshape by trying to do this in future posts - CS]

[JP]

No.  There are particles zipping around the universe at far higher energies than anything we can make in a lab, even the LHC.  These particles have been hitting the earth for ages, and we haven't been eaten by a black hole yet, so the LHC won't be a problem. 

[royandroy (OP)]

Zipping but not colliding? (Edit)  In a confined space.....

[JP]

Some of them will hit the earth and collide with particles that make up our atmosphere, or our earth.  It will happen more rarely than in the confined experiment at the LHC, but if these collisions could make permanent black holes, the earth's had ~4.5 billion years of particles colliding with it in which to do so.  Since we're still here, we should be ok.

[lyner]

there's much more to worry about when you are driving your car.
Try to get a handle on perceived and actual risks before you start being bothered by such things.

[lightarrow]

We have the opportunity to verify a theory I have about intelligent extraterrestrial life: we don't have any prove of their existence because it doesn't exist: they all have extinguished when they reached the technology to conduct particle's experiments like this one...   []

[lyner]

I look forward to your theory being disproved, lightarrow!
If it is proved then ciao.

[graham.d]

It may well be much more dangerous driving a car, Sophie, even though I use nuclear physics ideas in my driving. When approaching a crossroads I drive through as fast as possible to reduce my collision cross section. Some people say it is wrong to do this, but when they have recovered, I explain the physics to them. I don't find many travel with me any more though :-)

[DoctorBeaver]

It may well be much more dangerous driving a car, Sophie, even though I use nuclear physics ideas in my driving. When approaching a crossroads I drive through as fast as possible to reduce my collision cross section. Some people say it is wrong to do this, but when they have recovered, I explain the physics to them. I don't find many travel with me any more though :-)

[lightarrow]

It may well be much more dangerous driving a car, Sophie, even though I use nuclear physics ideas in my driving. When approaching a crossroads I drive through as fast as possible to reduce my collision cross section. Some people say it is wrong to do this, but when they have recovered, I explain the physics to them. I don't find many travel with me any more though :-)

Your strategy should be correct if cars (and drivers) were like particles, unaware of what happens and so unable to modify their speed and trajectory in the presence of other particles, but since you are not a particle, a better strategy should be to drive at lower speed and to brake when you approach another car...

[LeeE]

graham.d - I seriously hope you were joking.

[royandroy (OP)]

Boy oh boy! It seems that even the LHC won't be able to destroy egos! For a more objective forum on this important subject see newbielink:http://www.newscientist.com/commenting/browse.ns?articleId=dn13555&page=14&referer= [nonactive]

[lyner]

O-B-J-E-C-T-I-V-E ??
This is the Naked Scientist, chum.

[LeeE]

Of course the LHC will be able to destroy egos - you just have to drop it on them from a sufficient height.

[DoctorBeaver]

I think experiments at the LHC will deflate a lot of egos. Some theories will be proven to be incorrect so the scientists who have championed them will have to eat humble pie.