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Identity

Member

Registered: 2007-04-18

Posts: 934

The Atom Smasher

In 2008, CERN will be unveiling their new atom smasher, the Large Hadron Collider. It will be 7 times more powerful than the current largest at Fermilab. Physicists at CERN say there is a very large possibility that miniature black holes will be created from the fast collisions.
According to the physicists are CERN, there is no threat to us, because due to Hawking Radiation, the black hole should theoretically only last for a fraction of second.

Does it bother you that Hawking Radiation has never been experimentally confirmed? It is just a theory. It certainly bothers me. I'm sure in the past you could find example after example of experiments which have proved theories wrong. We're risking everything for the advancement of science.

Read on:
http://www.risk-evaluation-forum.org/anon1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadr … y_concerns
http://aboutfacts.net/Science71.htm < bottom of page

Last edited by Identity (2007-08-09 03:03:35)

Ricky

Moderator

Registered: 2005-12-04

Posts: 3,791

Re: The Atom Smasher

Micro black holes are created whenever you have two revolving electrically charged disks rotating in opposite directions close enough together (need to check the source, but I'm fairly certain that is correct).  It just depends how "big" small is.

And theories in physics often have a stronger meaning than theories in other sciences.  Because physics is typically so darn easy to test.  No having to travel out in the wilderness and try to count the number of species.  No having to collect samples of rocks from across 30 acres of land.  Tests in physics can be very strongly controlled.  Not only that, but physics has a strong basis in mathematics, which of course we know can never be wrong.

Edited to add: Anyone else not find it all that unbelievable that physicists spend so much of their time trying to smash things together as fast as they can, much like little children?

Physicists think they are God.  God thinks he's a mathematician.

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"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

luca-deltodesco

Member

Registered: 2006-05-05

Posts: 1,470

Re: The Atom Smasher

i know what you mean ricky, its like a childs thinking:

how can i find out whats inside, i know, ill hit it *crack*
hmmm, this new object is stronger, i have to hit it harder *CRACK*
darn, i cant smash this one, need to hit it harder again *CCRRAACCKK* ah there we go

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The Beginning Of All Things To End.
The End Of All Things To Come.

Patrick

Real Member

Registered: 2006-02-24

Posts: 1,005

Re: The Atom Smasher

It is just a theory.

AHEM... Someone needs to brush up their terminology. In physics, and mathematics for that matter, a theory is not a speculation or an idea based on someone's opinion. However, if what you meant was, that Hawking Radiation is more like a conjecture or even just a speculation(I mean something generally believed to be true), then sure; it might be a concern. I'm not familiar with Hawking Radiation, though, so I won't be able to tell if it's a theory or not. Just noticed your little statement about something being 'just a theory'

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Identity

Member

Registered: 2007-04-18

Posts: 934

Re: The Atom Smasher

Well actually, from what I've heard at least, Hawking Radtiation has respectable mathematical support, but, well, you can never be too sure. Quadratic Applications may turn out 2 solutions, when only 1 is true.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: The Atom Smasher

Perhaps this neatly explains why we have never found intelligent extraterrestrial life.

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

Ricky

Moderator

Registered: 2005-12-04

Posts: 3,791

Re: The Atom Smasher

Patrick, I think you are taking Identity's quote out of context.

Does it bother you that Hawking Radiation has never been experimentally confirmed? It is just a theory.

I think it's clear that he means, "It is just a theory which has yet to be emperically confirmed."  That certainly makes it less certain that a theory with confirmation.

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"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

LQ

Real Member

Registered: 2006-12-04

Posts: 1,285

Re: The Atom Smasher

So... When will they make this exciting black hole? Do we have to wait long? I wont be able to make my higgsboson fusion apparatus on that short time interval though.

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I see clearly now, the universe have the black dots, Thus I am on my way of inventing this remedy...

Ricky

Moderator

Registered: 2005-12-04

Posts: 3,791

Re: The Atom Smasher

"Arthur hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction there and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife."

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"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

Laterally Speaking

Real Member

Registered: 2007-05-21

Posts: 356

Re: The Atom Smasher

I actually know someone who works at CERN... It's been a while, though, so I don't remember his name right now.

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"Knowledge is directly proportional to the amount of equipment ruined."
"This woman painted a picture of me; she was clearly a psychopath"

LQ

Real Member

Registered: 2006-12-04

Posts: 1,285

Re: The Atom Smasher

Well, what was his most common expression?

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I see clearly now, the universe have the black dots, Thus I am on my way of inventing this remedy...