-- Posted by Crazy snake at 10:10 am on Sep. 4, 2008 If the Large hadron particle accelerator was to fuck up, the chances are that it would just be a catastrophic explosion correct? The chances are extremely extremely extremely slim that any vacum sack, or strange matter or uncontrolable micro-black hole would open up correct? The papers are blowing this out of proportion, cause they're calling it the end of the world next Wednesday. Yes, there is a large amount of energy being used, and at a very fast acceleration, with potential to cause this, but that is only with a major major fuck up. Am I right? -- Posted by Violet K at 10:11 am on Sep. 4, 2008 ..yes. 0_0 -- Posted by Darraaagh at 10:11 am on Sep. 4, 2008 I don't know enough about it. How funny would it be if a black hole was created though? We'd all die sooner -- Posted by austin s23 at 10:13 am on Sep. 4, 2008 whoa who the fuck speaks like that -- Posted by Natsy at 10:29 am on Sep. 4, 2008 a black hole will NOT be created... i think they said that there's more chance of somebody getting hit by lightening 20 times than something going wrong :/ -- Posted by Crazy snake at 10:58 am on Sep. 4, 2008 Quote: from Natsy at 6:29 pm on Sep. 4, 2008 a black hole will NOT be created... i think they said that there's more chance of somebody getting hit by lightening 20 times than something going wrong :/ Micro black holes, are a high possibility -- Posted by King Kong at 2:22 pm on Sep. 4, 2008 it's a possabilaty somthing bad will happen but it's one in a billion billion -- Posted by stimmer at 9:35 pm on Sep. 5, 2008 Actually, you are quite correct. Although it wouldn't be as catastrophic as I believe you're thinking. The LHC fires protons around the circle in a vacuum, contained by an electromagnetic field. Basically it's like taking some metal and surrounding it by magnets to it floats in the center. The greatest chance of something bad happening is some faulty wiring, misaligned part, or whatever (keep in mind while building this they are VERY careful). The number of protons fired is about the size of a very fine grain of sand (I forget the exact number), if the magnetic field fails somehow, this grain of sand impacting the side of the accelerator would actually have enough energy to create an explosion the size of a fuel air bomb. -- Posted by Baram at 10:06 am on Sep. 6, 2008 From what I read, it is highly unlikely that the LHC has enough power to even create a micro black hole, but if someone were to go by a different theory of what happens, then there is a possibility of creating one micro black hole per second.  However, due to some sort of radiation called Hawking Radiation, they will not last long at all (The particle that they are looking for only lasts 1 millionth of a billionth of a billionth of a second, so they may be similar).  there is an idea that because of the way the LHC works, a micro black hole may move slower than others and the radiation would take longer, in which case it MIGHT be to slow to escape the gravity of the earth.  It is unlikely that it will collect matter if this happens (assuming it survives the radiation long enough).  If this is true, then it is likely that Earth has already been in contact with micro black holes which survived long enough, and we're still here. The strangelet thing I guess is also unlikely, but if it were true, then we've already been in contact with those too, from what I understand. Anyway, IF a micro black hole were to collect matter (which is unlikely and would only happen if it failed to escape gravity, which is unlikely and would only happen if it were to move unnaturally slow, which is also unlikely and would only be noticed if it survives Hawking Radiation, which is also unlikely, and would only happen if the LHC were even capable of creating micro black holes, which is impossible unless you agree with an alternate model than the standard model of the LHC which, as far as I understand, is only an idea at this point) Then it would not destroy the planet, but cause a massive explosion.  Still devestating, but HIGHLY unlikely and not planet-threatening. -- Posted by Event Horizon at 12:30 pm on Sep. 6, 2008 Quote: from Crazy snake at 10:58 am on Sep. 4, 2008 Quote: from Natsy at 6:29 pm on Sep. 4, 2008 a black hole will NOT be created... i think they said that there's more chance of somebody getting hit by lightening 20 times than something going wrong :/ Micro black holes, are a high possibility Not only that, but they kind of WANT them to be created, gravitons are a possible outcome of those micro black holes, and if gravitons are found, it will pretty much prove M-theory. They are also looking for Higgs bosons [that make up the Higgs field], which again, would basically prove M-theory if discovered. Not only that, but can you imagine what kind of discover that is? That no where in space is there nothing. That the universe is totally filled, and that we are moving through an ocean of particles, similar to the idea of the Luminiferous Aether. The possibilities of this catastrophic explosion aren't really what concerns people. They are obsessed with the fact that there is a possibility of the micro-black holes being created and then stabilizing. They are also afraid of the fact that we really don't know what will happen. Kind of like one of those lone red buttons in a room, you just can't NOT push it.