September 2008 marks the month when the European Organization of Nuclear Research (CERN) will begin testing what has been commonly referred to as “The Big Bang Theory,” and no, I’m not talking about the hit CBS SF sitcom.
The “Big Bang” is a theory first postulated by physicist and astronomer Georges Lemaître based on Einstein’s theory of general relativity to cosmology. It states that the universe was created approximately 15 billion years ago when it was little more than a tightly woven packet of small atomic mass that exploded and has been expanding from its primordial hot and dense initial condition to the continous expanse of universe that we know today.
CERN will try to recreate a mini-version of the “Big Bang” deep underground by using its Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle smasher. Early preliminary testing has been successful and now the agency is ready test or “re-stage” what science believe was the actual birth of our universe, only on a much, much smaller scale.
The nuclear-imaging specialist in me gets goosebumps thinking about the exciting ramifications of proving or disproving Lemaître’s hypothesis, while the sci-fi geek in me is thinking of that old Outer Limits episode in which a group of scientists recreate a minature universe in an underground lab only to unleash a terrible destructive force into our own. Either way, it is still exciting.
“We look forward to a resounding success when we make our first attempt to send a beam all the way round the LHC,” said Lyn Evans, a CERN lead scientist for the multi-national project.
To put the test in motion on September 10th Evans and his LHC team will send a full particle beam all the way around the collider pipe in one direction before sending beams in both directions, traveling at the speed of light, and smashing them together later in the year. The resulting collision will be monitored on computers at CERN and laboratories around the world by scientists looking for the ultimate proof to the theory, a, or the, particle (called “Higgs boson”)that made life possible. The Higgs boson is thought to be the particle of glue that holds all matter together, thus creating the universe and all life in it.
The particle is named after 79-year old Scottish physicist Peter Higgs, who will be on hand in Switzerland for the experiment. He believes that his “Higgs boson” should appear quite quickly once the two beams collide. Others are not so sure.
“If it doesn’t [show up quickly],” Higgs said. “I shall be very, very puzzled.”
Professor Higgs currently serves as an emeritus professor at the University of Edinburgh. He is best known for his groundbreaking work on the origin of mass of elementary particles.
i cant believe that u r testing it without knowing that it is 100% safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:{
Wow! The caliber of these comments make me afraid. Learn some physics, learn the theory, learn the implications... learn some math for goodness sake. Big Bang theory has nothing to do with theism.
...Dude. I was already scared of 2012.
Seriously it may be a very small chance that we will die, but you shouldn't really risk it.
I admit it would be cool probably to figure out how the world started, but right now i could care less.
I'd rather live to see tomorrow and the next day. Than to sit around scared thinking what if. I know this is a break through for scientists, but think about it. There is so much we can lose if 1 thing goes wrong.
Also. I believe God made the Universe so even if the Big Bang did make the Earth God was still the one who created it so it could make Earth.
What amazes me even more is the total ignoring of our follow-up article that shows the first day of testing went perfectly without a hitch...not that there would ever be a world cataclysm from this event in the first place. But, only one comment so far relating to our article HERE -- http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/09/10/lhc-fired-up-shoots-scores-let-the-collider-games-begin/
Amazing! It's like everyone who was so frightened for their lives just took a deep breath and said......"Oh, ok it works and I'm still here."
People! Today was a landmark day for science. We began a new intellectual journey that will open up limitless doors of opportunity for research, new discoveries about our universe, and quite likely ourselves as well. Some of those all-important questions may finally be answered.....how did this universe that we take for granted come into existence..not who made it happen, but how did it happen. The WHO is the privy of the religious...the HOW is the domain of science, as it should be. Are there parallel worlds? Will we be able to harness the power of antimatter as an energy source? Exactly what is the real function(s) of a black hole, what is its power source? How long, after its creation, does a black hole exist. How much matter and energy does one need to sustain itself? Each and everyone of these questions, and countless more, are extremely important for the continuation of our species because until we become able to harness the power that is unleashed in an event like a big bang, we will forever be in the debt of this one planet. When it goes....we as a species go with it. Our very survival could hinge on what new discoveries will be revealed from what was begun here today in Geneva, Switzerland. It is truly a monumental thing and I am so grateful to be living in this time.
How incredibly Asinine. Why the hell would an advanced race try to recreate the creation of the universe? would it not be obvious that the logical counter of that would be.. ummm. destroy the universe? well obviously not, but even a tiny miscalculation would defiantly be cause for some concern. The pros of a successful test? the cons of a successful test? yes, lets find out how the universe was made.. that in itself is good enough reason for destroying ourselves.. asinine..
this guy's crazy. if you prove that your big bang theory is right, then what. does it makes difference in our life . maybe you should help the other's who are less fortunate. maybe you can make other useful experiment that will make life's better
How come a majority of the people who are against this are grammar failures? <,.,<
Moving on....
Hey, guess what?
;| we're all still alive.
You are killng the world, continuing to destroy what God has created.
I think that all of this is a waste of time.....u should spend this money on something more appropriate such as the war........we all need our lives......so use your head and be smart about it and dont do this to us......BE REASONABLE!!!!!!
We are all going to die. Everyone tell your parents you love'em, apologize for putting gum in Ms. Stewarts chair, and work on yourself. We are so about to be judged him Him.
U ALL R FREAKS........SOMEONE HAS 2 PUT AN END 2 THIS B.S (BULL SHIT) THERE IS NO ACTUAL REASON 4 DOING THIS !!!! GOD CREATED THE BIG BANG AND THE BIG BANG CREATED THE EARTH !!!!!!!!!!!!!
:L :L :L
This is something that these people need to really think about. Are they willing to risk the lives of millions of people just to prove a single point. Who cares about the Big Bang Theory, if it was real, then it was real..If it wasn't, it wasn't. There are so many things wrong with doing this exeperiment.
they just spent a whole bunch of money on nothin, and for the people who are with this big bang theory, you deserve to get sucked in the black hole.
Im very concerned about the whole thing. I think it's a waste of time and money. Im in the eleventh grade and have big hopes for my future. My point is, why does it matter how we got here? I feel that you should believe what you believe and not put other people's life in jeoprady due to religion. IT'S NOT THAT SERIOUS!!!
These individuals most likely do not have love ones because if they did they would not be putting the safety of their love ones in danger. We mean nothing to these so called scientist. Who is going to read the study when there is no one around. All I can say is God forgive you. Find something else you can do like end starvation, improve fuel use, provide water to drought nations etc. This world needs improvements not distruction.
A couple of questions:
1. Why 9/10/2008 for the initiation date??
2. Why do we have so many people on this earth that are well above elementary grade-level that can't spell or type a paragraph ?
3. If we are so fascinated about how the world began or how it will end, why aren't we THAT fascinated about saving it while we're here instead of how we might be able to speed up the deterioration period?
4. .... ohhh nevermind. Just very interesting stuff we have going on out there!!!!!
Wow! How did this go from the author comparing this experiment to an old TV series, to the end of the world? I am by no means a supporter of the "Big Bang Theory". I mean after all it is just a theory. And what is a theory? Nothing more than a "SWAG"! (Simple wild @$$ guess). Let the scientists have their fun. Seriously, if there were really danger of destroyng the earth do you think that our governments, let alone corporations would allow this to take place? The really ironic thing that based upon the "Big Bang Theory" and the "Theory of Evolution" it will only take about 4 + billion years for their theory to prove itself. Long after we and they are all gone. God forbid if their theory is wrong. How many more billions of years will it take to prove it. Think about it. How do you take an inanimate object and turn it to a living, breathing organism. It would seem to me it takes more faith to believe in these theories then one of creation.
I admit at first I was a little concerned as expressed in my earlier post. After doing some reading I've relaxed a little. Besides I'm more concerned about getting a job so me and my new wife can start creating our own family. As for beliefs, I have my own. I do not wish to talk about them in here as it would probably just create more crap to talk about. When I was young like grade 5/6 (1984/85) the height of the tension between the former USSR and USA I used to have nightmares about nuclear war. I'd wake up literally screeming in the middle of the night about how the world was ending. All my dad would say is "there is no point in worrying about it untill it happens then it will be to late to worry". At that age it didn't comfort me much but I've looked back at that many times and thought you know what? He's right ! We have bigger things to worry about at the moment like GLOBAL WARMING !!!
Man, I don't know the odds of this back-firing, but i do know its 1-10 or WAY SMALLER. I'm only 13 but, I do know that hopefully the Mayas are wrong about the world ending in 2012 because, their civilazation only lasted 112 years. So if this fraks up, God will understand somehow and then God will tell them how the Earth and the UNIVERSE was made. Well, best of luck....
Sincerely,
Devin (wants to live)
Do those of you that are against this test realy believe that those involved in the test would put their families and friend's lives in danger. They too have loved ones and lives that I am sure they enjoy living. By complaining about this test you are basically saying that those scientists are commiting suicide. I just don't believe that is the case. I, like most, use and benefit from science and the technology that stems from science. I bet most of those against this test probably reap those same benefits daily. Have some faith in those that take the time to explore and learn so that we average citizens can enjoy the comforts and benefits that are found during these type of scientific processes. I say put up or shut up. You can move to the woods and live without science and technology or quit bitching about the process of discovery!!!!!!!!!
wow.
well i'm really scared about this whole thing.
i'm in tenth grade now, and i want to live the rest of my life.
there's so much i haven't gotten to do...
but, i really don't think scientists should go through with this experiment..
it is SUPER dangerous as far as i have heard and i don't want the world to end.
there are so many people on this earth that want to stay alive.
i guess if the scientist want to do this, whatever, go ahead.
i just don't think they should put so many peoples lives in risk.
unless, it's not dangerous as some people have said.
well, this is what i think about it and i hope nothing goes wrong with this whole experiment thing.
if it does, bye? lol.
people c.mon!!
you are all saying how it is not reasonable to do an experiment on this...there are a great many benifits that could comr from this. if this works and it is proven that this world started out as a big bang....guess what....WE NOW HAVE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALL LIFE!!!! how is that NOT important?!?!? everyone wants to say that god is almighty and created this planet ...that is why you are afraid because you think we will find the means to disprove gods existance.and your "faith" makes that thought as unbearable as death.
as for the risks ....there are risks in everything for cryin out loud.!!!!. the greater the knowledge the greater the risk....so yes there is a great risk because the knowledge is great.. but there is too much GOOD that can come from this to just ignore it..a couple of quotes
"with great power comes great responsibility"
"those who have the power to make thing better heve the responsibility to make sure it happens"
"do not fear knowledge..fear ignorance"
oh here is a link for you people VIEW IT!!!
http://www.flixya.com/video/1446226/The_Large_Hadron_Collider%3A_The_End_Of_The_Universe
copy and paste it if ya have to
big bang is a really to good expariment
I think its an absolute disgrace that scientists should be allowed to toy with the universe like this... Whats the point in human rights if people are allowed to toy with our futures just because they're smart.... to the scients who are doing this.... You may be smart and a professional scientist but you are also very very stupid and selfish!!! You may not care if the universe comes to an end but i do... i enjoy my life and would never take such a stupid risk with it... Or anyone elses for that matter.... There is poverty all over the world yet this was payed for out of our money so we shoukd have a say.. its an outrage that such a huge amount of money was spent on this when it could of have been used to help people less fortunate the ourselves.. this should be stopped immediatley.... use think use have to prove something by being the fisrt to do this or that.... then invent something useful without risking our very existence... Id love to meet you in person as id giv you a right peice of my mind. None of which would be pleasant!!!
Wow! I'm at a loss for words. Don't know why I did not come across this item before, but I just read through all the responses and it is scary. It's scary to think many of these people probably vote, and some may even have reproduced.
I always take it for granted people are intelligent, informed, and have the ability to reason. So you can understand how much of a shock it is when I come across evidence to the contrary.
I had to read the original article a number of times to understand what the fuss is about, why people were talking about the destruction of the world, why people who commented on this called for the killing of one of the lead scientists.
As near as I can tell, it can only be the reference to the Outer Limits episodes.
!!!! . . . do people realize it was just a humorous comment? This is a SciFi site, and that was a reference to a scifi show. You want to learn what LHC will do? Do some basic research. The Outer Limits is not basic research.
The funniest thing I read was the person who said we should do a survey of people to see if we should do this or not. Given the level of scientific awareness exhibited on this thread of responses, that would be like taking a survey of hairstylists regarding the advisability of doing brain surgery on a patient.
People here, especially SciFi fans, should be mad and concerned, alright. They should be mad and concerned that accelerator is not in the US. The US continues to fall behind the leading edge of science, of research, of discovery.
. . . unless, of course, we talk about iPhones and X-Boxes.
We continue to produce graduates who know little about science, math, physics, and the scientific method.
. . . but they can sure tell you what the Ghost Hunters did this week.
I am scared, but I am scared about the people around me. Apparently, they are not very far removed from zombies, with the main difference being these zombies show little desire to get more brains.
i think it is well worth it in the end
big bang theory ........... oh my god . i love it . it should happen everyday ....... i guess every minute
Ahh yes, i love how everyone is scared. It is also funny how everyone thinks this will destroy the universe. First of all, the whole controversy will be creating a min blackhole that will destroy the WORLD, not the universe.
The particle accelerator is probably one of the most amazing things to happen to science since the light bulb. Finding the BUILDING BLOCKS TO LIFE, how can you not be for this. This is just a small step to bigger and better things. Science is everywhere, and you religious freaks out there use it all for granted. QUIT COMPLAINING.
damn that guy is F*ing retarded the entire big bang theory is a waste and itss not gonna work and ill show you why
Facts
1. If you can say x created y you can always say what created x.
2. If there was in existence, how can the compression of nothing cause a creation of everything?
3. The Big Bang Theory is impossible for several reasons. 1.) General relativity absolutely forbids it and 2.)The mass and energy of the emerging universe would cause a super cylinder, constantly expanding upwards with a diameter equal to the length of the superstring.
4. The big bang theory is a contradiction of itself. If the six dimensions of an old universe curled up from a big crunch, then for that universe to have existed to have a big crunch, it needed to have a dimension of time. When our universe unraveled, it had to have three dimensions of space and one dimension at a time. It would be impossible to have that dimension of time if it belonged to the old universe, thus when our three dimensions unraveled, separated from time, they would cease to exist in he time-space continuum.
Also, if there was a big bang and fundamental particles were made from superstrings, because of the mass and energy of the expanding universe, in accordance with Einstein’s theory of general relativity, the universe would have instantly collapsed into a one dimensional cylinder with a diameter equal to that of the length of the superstring, this super cylinder relentlessly expanding upwards.
5. In your laws of space and time etc, doesn’t it say that an object traveling in space will continuously move at that speed it started, unless intercepted in some way or form , colliding with something or gravity etc, but in space there is no resistance for an object so everything that came out of the "big bang" is what we see today as the universe, so all of it must be traveling at the speed it was when the epic proportioned explosion began and in the same direction, this means there must in fact be a central point still in the universe, which there isn’t.
If the big bang theory is correct everything should have come from a central point, and continues moving at the speed of the big bang the earth should be moving faster and the stars should be moving as well at that same speed.
As a rebuttal:
1) That's *exactly* what this experiment is about.
2) I have no idea what you're saying here. By definition, *nothing* can't be compressed, but if there's an existance, that means matter, and that *can* be compressed
3) a> How does General Relativity forbid the Big Bang?
b> Super cynlinder? That makes no sense.
4) Where are you getting six dimensions from? Do you have some knowledge of the universe that most of us don't? The rest of this point makes *no sense*, but I'll just point out one thing. If the entire universe is a "one-dimensional cylinder", then the definition of cylinder must have chaged. I always thought they were defined as a three-dimensional object.
5) You know for a fact that there's no central point of the universe? How omniscient of you. Should we refer to you as Q from now on? (bringing it back to sci-fi)
Honestly, I don't see how knowing more about how the world around us works is a bad thing. Experiments like this led to the technology that's letting all of us chuckleheads engage in pointless arguments like this one
Gazer, don't get too wound up about the above comment. I too read it and went WTF! Besides doing all I use to do here at SoSF and working with science fiction, fantasy and so forth, I am also credentialed as a Licensed Nuclear and Molecular Medicine physics technologist, having received my training at George Washington University (for those who need to know such things in order to lend what I say some kind of validity for them). I have been working in the field of medical and quantum physics since 1976 and have no clue what a 6-dimensional cylindrical universe would look like -- and hell, I AM Q!
It has been argued (within certain confines) of physics that the Big Bang couldn't have happened because, as the writer said above, it would equate to an unmeasurable central point that simply could not have existed before the introduction of the idea of time and would now be moving at the speed of light away from itself. Well, that would be true if time were a dimension, but in the real world of physics, time is a creation of man, not what or whoever created the known (and unknown) universe, therefore, time is only a function of mathematical equation that can be changed, regulated or "adjusted" to meet the needs of the desired outcome -- which is always a danger with any theory (since all are based on mathematics). That is why science, especially the physical one, needs absolute discipline to adhered and agreed upon criteria. Change the rules and you change the outcome. That is what we see happening all the time these days....not that I am against such movement within the community. If it hadn't been for such innovative thinking (outside the box) then we would still be judging all science based on strict adherence to Newtonian thought and would have missed out on an entirely new and exciting reality created by the likes of Einstein, Ashoke Sen, Townsend, Hull, Duff, Schwarz, Whitten, Hawking, Kaku and Clarke.
However, in the above commented case, the ideas projected are so far outside accepted realm that they lend themselves to chaotic-thought with its expected result -- that being nonsensical ramblings.
As far as Super String Theory - aka M-Theory - goes, I am a proponent of it and currently it is theorized that their may be as many as 11 dimensions of reality . Of course, while many mathematical renditions prove this as a truism, others do not and it has been shown that there are at least 5 different string theories currently at play on our physics chess board. It is hoped that M-theory will one day unite all 5 and end up being the Physicist's long sought after Theory of Everything. Probably won't happen, but it is fun to try.
As for the Big Bang....in its most simplified explanation it is a model of the universe that says at some point in man-created-time, approximately 14 to 18 billion years ago, the entire universe was an unseeable, immeasurable, infinite tiny packet of energy that exploded (with a big bang) that is now continuing to expand from that very hot and unstable state striving to reach a perfect rest state (much as occurs every pico-second with decaying radiation in the world around us).
If this is true, then the question that remains is...like radiation (which is really nothing more than highly charged-excited-unstable energy), what is the half-life of this unstable, expanding state of the universe and has it yet reached it? If, again like radiation, we can measure that after 10 such half-lives it has reached stablity (or perfect rest) is it near that now and what will happen once it reaches it? Will the universe begin to recede back to that compressed packet of energy, or like radiation, become something different from its unstable prior-product?
Now, from the religious standpoint, which also being a retired Rabbi, I can address....I find that some within the religious community, especially those within a strict fundamentalist adherence, find these kinds of research (such as the LHC) and study of the realm of physics, creation, BIg Bang, etc, scary as hell because, as has happened in the past, new scientific discoveries have put into question certain religious convictions and beliefs, and that is a truly frightening prospect to those who have dedicated their very existence to all that they believe about their universe being proven untrue or, at least put into question.
As a Rabbi and scientist, I find no fear in scientific discovery and the truths it incovers that reveal the error of my religious ways. A true believer in the spiritual has nothing to fear from true science because the truth lends itself to both.
As Jeriba Shigan said to Willis Davidge in "Enemy Mine" -- "Truth is Truth!"
Sam, you are my hero
As a side because I really don't care to write up a whole story about it.....I'm tired -
Today - May 29, 2009 scientists uveiled the Laser Beam Generator that will hopefully create what science has dreamed of for decades....Nuclear Fusion power. The event took place at about 1:30 EDT in California. On hand were Governor Swartzenegger, Senator Feinstein and others of nobility in science and government. If as successful as promised this could spell the end of the world's energy problem. Let's hope it's all it has been hyped to be.
Well what i say bring it on, it may stop all the fighting around the world, if their is a black hole you will not know much about it, it is full of rubbish people anyway.