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View Full Version : Question about 'particle' accelerators and the 'Big Bang'


Vanhalla
2008-08-09, 00:12
What they hope to find with 'ALICE' by melting the 'protons' and 'neutrons' and freeing the 'quark bonds' with the 'gluons' is the state of matter called 'quark-gluon plasma' which they believe existed soon after the 'Big Bang'.

Then with the 'ATLAS' they hope to find 'Higgs Bosons', 'extra dimensions', and 'dark matter particles'. There is also the 'CMS' which hopes to find the same 'things' as the 'ATLAS' while using a different method. The 'TOTEM' will attempt to measure the size of a proton, and it will complement the experiments of the 'CMS'.

Then we move on to the 'LHCb', which try to understand why there so much 'matter' and so little 'anti-matter'. And lastly the 'LHCf' which will try to capture the source necessary to simulate 'cosmic rays' in the laboratory.

My question to you, proud residents of 'Mad Scientists', is this:

What will you do, and how will it affect your outlook of and confidence in the 'Standard Model', if over the next couple of years, we do not find what we imagined 'Gods' fingerprints to be like / nature doesn't work the way we assumed?

Edit:
What if everything you know is false?

Graemy
2008-08-09, 01:18
Edit:
What if everything you know is false?

It wouldn't make the whole standard model false. But revisions would definitely need to be made. So is the nature of Science.

Although, I think if the higgs boson does exist, it will be found soon.

chauncey biggums
2008-08-09, 02:39
why is there quotations around everything?

Vanhalla
2008-08-09, 03:40
why is there quotations around everything?

Just because you label something a 'photon' doesn't mean you understand what a 'photon' is.

danreil
2008-08-09, 04:05
I think the worst thing that can happen with the LHC is that we find absolutely nothing, which I fear has fair chance of happening. However, if we find something strange that does modify or change the Standard Model, I would personally be very happy. For if we find something that we have never seen before and is strange enough to change the Standard Model, it would probably provide a lot of evidence about this new thing, and could point us in a new direction in physical theories.

And even if the LHC doesn't help this way at all, and only sheds doubt on the Standard Model, without offering something new, it would be a good thing, because I'm sure almost all physicists would agree that if the Standard Model is incorrect, than the sooner the better to throw it out, even if there is nothing there to replace it. Physics is about a search for the true laws of the universe whatever they may be, not about proving one particular theory right and being devastated if it turns out wrong.

Quageschi
2008-08-11, 06:59
What if everything you know is false?


Why that's the very fuel that science runs on.

Slave of the Beast
2008-08-14, 21:56
What they hope to find with 'ALICE' by melting the 'protons' and 'neutrons' and freeing the 'quark bonds' with the 'gluons' is the state of matter called 'quark-gluon plasma' which they believe existed soon after the 'Big Bang'.

The fools and their big magnets, if they'd simply start fermenting and distilling electrons they might actually find something.

My question to you, proud residents of 'Mad Scientists', is this:

What will you do, and how will it affect your outlook of and confidence in the 'Standard Model', if over the next couple of years, we do not find what we imagined 'Gods' fingerprints to be like / nature doesn't work the way we assumed?

Science will develop better, more accurate, theories, just as it has been doing for centuries. My outlook and confidence in science will remain the same because nothing will have fundamentally changed.

Edit:
What if everything you know is false?

On a superficial how-does-the-toilet-flush level that clearly isn't true, on a deeper level the Universe will continue running whether I understand it or not and as such I'm not concerned.

xarf
2008-08-15, 12:42
Just because you label something a 'photon' doesn't mean you understand what a 'photon' is.

Well whatever the fuck it is we call it a photon. Hence you don't need to put quotes around it because no matter what it is it's still a fucking photon.

honkymahfah
2008-08-17, 15:40
Just because you label something a 'photon' doesn't mean you understand what a 'photon' is.

According to that methodology, every noun in your post should have been in quotations.

SelfAdjoint
2008-08-19, 23:48
I'd imagine everyone would be rather excited: it can be exalting, if rather tedious, to always know the answers.

BlankDeed
2008-08-20, 08:13
It's a superficial and esoteric term, assholes.

Sentinel
2008-08-20, 21:25
THIS JUST IN:

Newtonian Gravity is a LIE! It's NOT TRUE!

(but it still works pretty darn well).

Dichromate
2008-08-28, 10:49
Well, if they can't find any evidence of the Higgs Boson with the LHC, something's going to have to be changed.

Silverwolf69
2008-08-28, 12:40
Personally I hope the Higgs Boson isn't found, means we have to re-evaluate everything, and that's the fun in science :)

Sentinel
2008-08-28, 17:34
Well, if they can't find any evidence of the Higgs Boson with the LHC, something's going to have to be changed.

Some people will try to revamp things...others will just look harder!

HeaT
2008-08-29, 21:19
The fools and their big magnets, if they'd simply start fermenting and distilling electrons they might actually find something.

Do I detect sarcasm? Fermenting electrons??

MilkAndInnards
2008-08-30, 05:10
These particle accelerators are going to be great for quantum physics. I can't wait to find what comes out

southernsun
2008-09-02, 00:52
Anyone think that this LHC thats getting turned on on the 8th of this month will be the destroyer of this world?

Quageschi
2008-09-02, 02:34
Anyone think that this LHC thats getting turned on on the 8th of this month will be the destroyer of this world?

nope.

Prometheus
2008-09-04, 22:25
Some people will try to revamp things...others will just look harder!

And if they don't find it, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I personaly hope they do, but either way, interesting things ahead for physics.

HeaT
2008-09-04, 23:06
Anyone think that this LHC thats getting turned on on the 8th of this month will be the destroyer of this world?

No way.... This 8th? As in September 8th? That's fucking awesome! I thought it was going to be more like 2013.... maybe that's CERN. Do you know an exact time? Or have a source to reference? I'm gonna celebrate it.

southernsun
2008-09-05, 00:29
No way.... This 8th? As in September 8th? That's fucking awesome! I thought it was going to be more like 2013.... maybe that's CERN. Do you know an exact time? Or have a source to reference? I'm gonna celebrate it.

Just looked it up...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CERN

As of August 2008 the majority of the LHC ring is now cooled to the 1.9 K (−271.25 °C) operating temperature. The initial particle beams are due for injection in August 2008,[8] the first attempt to circulate a beam through the entire LHC is scheduled for September 10, 2008,[9] and the first high-energy collisions are planned to take place after the LHC is officially unveiled, on October 21, 2008.[10] It has been claimed the collision fo the particles has a 1 in 50000 chance to create a small atomic black hole and would create the apocalypse. Which has brought much cause for concern, including a large petition to stop the event.

Vanhalla
2008-09-05, 02:54
More information (http://press.web.cern.ch/press/PressReleases/Releases2008/PR06.08E.html)

HeaT
2008-09-07, 19:11
That's great news! I've been waiting so long for this. I can't wait until it get's to maximum energy. That'll be very very interesting.... whether we find anything or not. (I'm almost POSITIVE we'll at least find something....)

And about the 'primordial' black holes..... they aren't mass driven.... so they won't 'suck the earth in'. I believe they're actually driven by a vacuum in an energy field? And Hawking radiation (though not proven.... definitely exists) will dissipate them in no time. I think it would be amazing to observe these. Though they might damage the LHC somwhat if they do exist :/

Vanhalla
2008-09-07, 20:57
Does anyone else feel it?

I definitely feel something, not sure what it is.

:confused:

Quageschi
2008-09-09, 00:37
I am very excited for this.

Today in my electronics/tech class our teacher asked us what amazing technical event will be taking place this week. Of course the best the dumb fucks in my class could come up with is "The iphone 3G is coming out" (it came out in July actually). Anyway I was proud to mention it as I seem to be one of the few people who can actually appreciate the magnitude of this achievement. This is like the great pyramid of our times.

The idea for the LHC has been almost 30 years in the making/building, and it will finally go into service on the 10th. Don't get too excited though, unfortunately we are not going to hear about any findings for at least 2 years and major findings may be 5 or so years off. It takes a long time to sift through Petabytes of information.

HeaT
2008-09-09, 16:21
But the world's gonna end tomorrow... right? We won't have to wait years for that...

Deviate
2008-09-10, 00:31
But the world's gonna end tomorrow... right? We won't have to wait years for that...

Firstly, even if the effect form the LHC did cause the end of the world, no, it wouldn't happen today (in a few hours) it's my understanding that they are only firing the particles in one direction today, building up to the 21st of October when the actual collision will occur.

I'm personally very excited about the whole thing, I've been following the project since I was 11 years old doing science at school. And to whoever said the worst thing would be if they discovered nothing? I'm pretty sure that they will find at least some usable data, I mean this is the first time humans have ever witnessed such an event so we are sure to discover something, even if it's literally just the reaction of two particles smashing together.

Quageschi
2008-09-10, 00:57
http://webcast.cern.ch/index.html

Here is the CERN webcast for the event.

It will start at 2AM ET, 1AM CT, 12AM MT, 11PM PT

Vanhalla
2008-09-10, 01:15
^Thanks

I picture the broadcast showing 200+ scientists standing in a room watching as one guy pushes a button.

5hours to go :)

Vanhalla
2008-09-10, 06:21
The LHC: let the lead fly (http://arxivblog.com/?p=614)

wolfy_9005
2008-09-16, 09:57
Murphy's Law will stop anything happening.

Remember, Mother Nature is a vicious bitch, and doesnt like people messing with her creations.

Slave of the Beast
2008-09-16, 16:58
...(though not proven.... definitely exists)...

That doesn't make the slightest bit of sense but w/e.

Vanhalla
2008-09-16, 21:21
And about the 'primordial' black holes..... they aren't mass driven.... so they won't 'suck the earth in'. I believe they're actually driven by a vacuum in an energy field? And Hawking radiation (though not proven.... definitely exists) will dissipate them in no time. I think it would be amazing to observe these. Though they might damage the LHC somwhat if they do exist :/

The prediction that black holes radiate due to quantum effects is often considered one of the most secure in quantum field theory in curved space-time. Yet this prediction rests on two dubious assumptions: that ordinary physics may be applied to vacuum fluctuations at energy scales increasing exponentially without bound; and that quantum-gravitational effects may be neglected. . .
http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/gr-qc/0304042