It’s The End of the World As We Know It….
….And I Feel Fine! If you haven’t heard, Wednesday, September 10, 2008 is the newest date for the end of the world. CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research) is flipping the “On” switch to the Large Hadron Collider, or LHC, for its initial testing. Nevermind that it will take a while for this thing to be to its full power, the end is neigh!
The LHC is the world’s largest particle accelerator, located in Geneva, Switzerland. This giant, billion dollar contraption is either some kind of wonderful device that will unlock the mysteries of the universe or something that will create a black hole which will engulf all life as we know it.
The basics of the LHC are well beyond my limits of understand. I can barely calculate tips at restaurants let alone the complex uber nerd math that is happening at CERN. The LHC is a 17 mile, circular particle accelerator that is buried deep below the peaceful surface along the Franco-Swiss border. Particles will collide with each other at high rates of speed to create a shower of exotic particles that will tell scientists a myriad of things about the conditions of the universe after the Big Bang.
Scientists are also hoping to find hypothetical particles that will prove that various theories are indeed correct. One such particle, the graviton, should it be produced from the experiments at the LCH, would verify String Thory as something tangible.
Those in opposition of the LHC becoming fully operational are worried that tiny black holes created in the LHC could escape and gobble the Earth. Scientists, however, assure us that even if black holes are created, they would be gone in something like, point zero some odd seconds. Scientists also like to remind us that cosmic rays hit particles in the atmosphere and have yet to create stable black holes.
Here are some of the most awesome YouTube clips pertaining to the LHC and the end of days:
Pictures Link and Awesome Comments Galore
Enjoy!
