Why the LHC Won't Destroy the World

An anonymous reader writes "Most people are aware of the recent articles contending that the Large Hadron Collider at CERN might destroy the world. While most scientists have no such concerns, a recent preprint released to arxiv systematically dismantles the notion. The gist of the argument is this: Everything that will be created at the LHC is already being created by cosmic rays. If a black hole created by the LHC is interactive enough to destroy the world within the lifetime of the sun, similar black holes are already being created by cosmic rays. Such black holes would be stopped by dense cosmic objects (neutron stars and white dwarfs). A black hole stopped in one of these objects would eventually absorb it. We see sufficiently old neutron stars in the sky, thus any black hole that could be created at the LHC, even if it is stable, would have no effect on the earth on any meaningful timescale."

First

[JustOK]

First particle?

Fools!

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't they see that there used to be MORE neutron stars?

A Little Optomistic

[Anonymous Coward]

According the the Farnsworth Theorem, which has been accepted by the scientific community, the LHC is almost certain to destroy the world. There are consequences to creating a black hole, you know.

Dr Farnsworth suggests that you collect your most prized possessions and carry them down to the lowest basement you can find. This way you will at lest be among the last survivors on our doomed planet.

Hang on a minute

[Rik Sweeney]

Even if they did manage to destroy the world, we'd all die so quickly there wouldn't be time to dish out any blame.

I can imagine the last words in the lab just before we all disappear into a singularity:

"Oops"

If he's wrong?

[Chrisq]

While most scientists have no such concerns, a recent preprint released to arxiv systematically dismantles the notion.

A risky claim to make. If he's wrong it will totally ruin his reputation ;-)

This article doesn't take everything into account

[verbalcontract]

This article doesn't take into account accidental resonance cascades that open up portals to bizarre alien.

Re:Hang on a minute

[maxume]

Or "I'm hungry" or "This coffee is awful".

Re:This article doesn't take everything into accou

[Joe The Dragon]

We will just sent sg1 in to take care of the aliens and then we just blame it on the homer simpson type people working there.

Re:Hang on a minute

[oahazmatt]

I can imagine the last words in the lab just before we all disappear into a singularity:

"Oops"

I agree. The world will end not with an alien invasion, not with a famine and not with a multi-national nucler war.

No, the world will end with a scientist uttering "Oh, sweet!"

Famous "last particle"

[eclectro]

"We have an unintended event horizon."

Ha.

[Kingrames]

The world will not end when I flip this switch.

I shall prove this, by ...
What in the world could that be?!
*points over there*
*flips switch*

Re:This article doesn't take everything into accou

[utnapistim]

Now, now, if you follow standard insertion procedure, everything will be fine. ... Although I will admit that the possibility of a resonance cascade scenario is extremely unlikely.

My question

[UnknowingFool]

So when does it come online? Just in case something happens, I need the day off to do what I always wanted to do: Spend it with a beautiful woman in bed--who am I kidding? I'm posting on slashdot. I'll be playing GTA IV. :P

Re:Black holes vs. negative strangelets ?

[Migraineman]

The LHC is "mostly harmless." After all, it's only bashing Large Hadrons together. Now, the Ginormous Hadron Collider (GHC) is another matter all together. It's been giving me the stink-eye for weeks now. I wouldn't turn my back on it for a minute.

Re:Black holes vs. negative strangelets ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Wasn't the actual "danger" in question the creation of stable negative strangelets (which would gobble up regular matter through electrostatic attraction, not through gravity like a black hole) ?

Yes, but this can be counteracted via the usage of normalets, which are generated by anybody who doesn't read slashdot.

What a way to go

[Danathar]

So each being equally small in probability the two ways the LHC will get us is either by

1. Black Holes (like the article says)

or

2. Instantaneous conversion of all stuff on earth into exotic matter.

Personally #2 sounds more fun.

Re:Stopped black hole?

[Anonymous Coward]

If the black hole has "stopped" it has noticed your presence. At this point, your JuJanta 2000 Peril-Sensitive sunglasses will suddenly go completely black, fully preparing you for the event horizon experience.

JuJanta also recommends its products for the Event Horizon experience, which properly speaking should never be experienced by anyone whatsoever.

Re:This article doesn't take everything into accou

[Broken scope]

I never thought I'd see a resonance cascade, let alone create one.

Re:If he's wrong?

[heldlik]

Well the good thing about the critics of this LHC project, is that we won't be hearing any "I TOLD YOU SO!"

Re:Huh?

[Minwee]

"In theory", posting to Slashdot is safe.

"In theory" you can't accidentally summon the elder gods by not limiting your .signature to 120 characters.

"In theory" posting more than twice within a ten minute limit won't create an imbalance of left-handed and right-handed electrons within the local ethernet causing anything up to and including total protonic reversal. (I bet you'd be kicking yourself for not buying cables with signal directional markings [slashdot.org] which could have prevented this problem.)

So, yes, "in theory" the world is safe from being destroyed by you. Today.

And "in theory" that makes me feel better.

Re:Black holes vs. negative strangelets ?

[corbettw]

It's been giving me the stink-eye for weeks now.

It wasn't giving you the stink eye, that's just the way its face looks.

Re:Black holes vs. negative strangelets ?

[morgan_greywolf]

Yeah? Well, as long as there are no bizarrolets, then no parallel universes will be created in which there is Superman with an upside-down S who talks like retarded caveman.

Re:Huh?

[ShieldW0lf]

If you have a specific problem with one of the assumptions, logic, modeling, mathematics, data acquisition, or analysis, then point it out in detail. But saying, "that's just a theory" is not useful. Everything we do is based on theories.

Experiments are conducted based on our lack of confidence in those theories. Either this theory is trustworthy enough to make the whole experiment pointless, or it's not trustworthy and experiments are justified. You can't have it both ways, and anyone who attempts to defend the safety of an experiment with only the theories being tested as evidence is an idiot. There's uncertainty, and thus there's an experiment, and we don't really know what will happen. Period. Get over it already. One way or another, you're still going to die.

Re:This article doesn't take everything into accou

[Chris Mattern]

Slashdot doesn't need to hear all this, they're highly trained professionals. We've assured the administrator that *nothing will go wrong*.

Re:Stopped black hole?

[Anonymous Coward]

Means it needs some Drain-o to get it going again.

Re:Hang on a minute

[cHiphead]

Or 'Hey, watch this'

*cue redneck throwing a firecracker into the path of the particle stream*

Cheers.

Re:Famous "last particle"

[postbigbang]

Although the parent is rated 'funny' currently, I can only imagine a new, really big lake in Switzerland soon, Lake Hadron.

Re:Hang on a minute

[MightyDrunken]

No, the world will end with a scientist uttering "Oh, sweet!"

So the end of the world will be caused by the invention of aspartame? Darn it the tin foil hat did nothing.

Re:Famous "last particle"

[ConceptJunkie]

LA has more dirt, by virtue of its size, but in DC the dirt is much more concentrated and causes more harm. But please be careful, I live about 40 miles from DC.

Re:"cosmic rays" argument is bogus

[Anonymous Coward]

It's funny to see you get modded informative for repeating the summary.

Re:Famous "last particle"

[SQLGuru]

I wish both of those areas would keep their "dirt" to themselves. The news is bad enough without politicians and hollywood actors.

Layne

Re:Hang on a minute

[sacrilicious]

No, the world will end with a scientist uttering "Oh, sweet!"

Reminds me of the aphorism about the most common last words of hillbillies: "Hey Bubba, watch this!"

Re:A Little Optomistic

[SQLGuru]

That's why "The Geeks shall inherit the Earth".....they already occupy all of the basements.....

Layne

Re:Famous "last particle"

[aproposofwhat]

LA - lots of RIAA / MPAA lobbyists and their friends die.

DC - the lobbyees die.

Both are good, but the former is better.

Re:Huh?

[BenGL]

So, yes, "in theory" the world is safe from being destroyed by you. Today.

Is this a challenge?

Re:Black holes vs. negative strangelets ?

[Just Some Guy]

Now, the Ginormous Hadron Collider (GHC) is another matter all together.

The Tremendous Hadron Collider is more likely to create a black hole with the munchies.

Re:Hang on a minute

[Dmala]

Are there any marine biologists among us? Have the fish been acting funny lately?

You know, it's funny. I was at the aquarium yesterday and for the finale of the dolphin show a dolphin did a double backwards somersault through a hoop whilst whistling the 'Star Spangled Banner.'

Re:Fools!

[Hatta]

Has anyone mentioned that black holes emit Hawking radiation yet? Cause I'd like to clear that up, in case no one else caught that.

Re:Hang on a minute

[IndustrialComplex]

I have always expected the end of the world to be preceeded by:

"Good news everyone!"

Re:Hang on a minute

[Anonymous Coward]

The singularity is coming!

Oops, wrong one.

we are completely safe, thanks to me

[ScentCone]

so the area around it where the gravity would significantly bend the universe would also be quite small, making our painful (but swift) deaths rather unspectacular

I'm sorry, but you're completely forgetting about at least one mitigating factor. There's simply no way the earth can be destroyed, one side effect of which would be my untimely demise. Why? Because I've still got a balance on my Capital One visa card, and they will do anything, including changing the very fabric of space and time, in order to not miss out on that interest money. So, we're safe for a while yet.

Re:Broken link

[BetterThanCaesar]

Link should go find more rupees.

Re:Famous "last particle"

[dotancohen]

Although the parent is rated 'funny' currently, I can only imagine a new, really big lake in Switzerland soon, Lake Hadron.

It will be renamed Lake Heron before it gets out of beta.

Re:Hang on a minute

[dwibby]

No, the world will end with a scientist uttering "Oh, sweet!"

I personally like "Not again."

Possibly explanation for another question?

[Anachragnome]

Why are we finding no extraterrestrial civilizations?

They all get to this step in technological advancement and "Black Hole" themselves?

Maybe a significant portion of existing black holes are not the results of collapsed stars, but rather previous Hadron-like mistakes of monumental proportions?