Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Bad Math Causes Explosion at CERN Collider

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the allright-which-of-you-got-the-A dept.

javipas writes "The Large Hadron Collider at the CERN has suffered a big explosion deep inside that has caused a leak of hellium gas and the quick evacuation of everyone working there. The reason: a mathematical mistake that affected the design of the giant superconductive magnets made by Fermilab. Now the company will have to repair and upgrade the 24 magnets that are installed on the 27 km. circunference of one of the most important research centers on Earth." This story might seem strangely familiar to you.

3 of 270 comments (clear)

  1. DUPE by leerpm · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Isn't this the same story as from a week or two ago?

  2. Proton? by virgil_disgr4ce · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    The accelerator is designed to smash together protons, a kind of sub-atomic particle, at near light speed.
    "Pro-ton? Now whut on earth is a pro-ton? Some kinda sub-atomic particle? Gaw-damn, what are we doin' paying those hare-brained scientists to look at pro-tons for?"

    I hate to think of how this kind of a mix up just convinces certain people even more of their anti-science prejudices. :(
    --
    Limina.Log
  3. It is not about what you know it is who you know" by r4g3 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    This is a typical example of things than can go bad is the It is not about what you know it is who you know" theory kicks in reality. Yet the knowledge guy is still a security guy somewhere and the managers son keeps coming in to work!