Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

LHC Offline Until April 2009 (Or Longer)

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the now-we'll-never-know-the-secret dept.

rufey writes "The recent problems at the Large Hadron Collider will now keep it idle until spring 2009. The official press release is here. The LHC went offline due to a suspected failure in a superconducting connection, which overheated and caused around 100 of the LHC's super-cooled magnets to heat up by as much as 100 degrees. This resulted in the accidental release of a ton of liquid helium. The process required to repair the failed superconducting connection involves weeks of warming up the affected area from -456 degrees Fahrenheit to room temperature, and then several more weeks to cool it back down after the repair is made. The total amount of time to do this will spill over into CERN's scheduled winter maintenance/shutdown period, which is partly done to save money on electricity during the period of peak demand."

11 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. I can wait by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can wait till next spring for the world to end.

    1. Re:I can wait by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Basically what happened is when they fired it up, a giant ring - gate, if you will - appeared, and they don't have it under control yet.

    2. Re:I can wait by Prof.Phreak · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't worry, there will be another delay, then another, then another, until it goes live in 2012.

      --

      "If anything can go wrong, it will." - Murphy

  2. Now what do I do? by bigtallmofo · · Score: 5, Funny

    I spent all my money over the last 6 months on alcohol and parties, secure in the knowledge that the world would come to an end this October when the LHC came up to full power.

    This is unacceptable. I demand they destroy the world now.

    --
    I'm a big tall mofo.
    1. Re:Now what do I do? by Prof.Phreak · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...spent all my money...secure in the knowledge that the world would come to an end this October

      Yeah, you and all the banks!

      --

      "If anything can go wrong, it will." - Murphy

  3. Ouch by Linker3000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I understand things were going well - then there was this 'big bang'....

    --
    AT&ROFLMAO
  4. Re:Hmmmmmm by AndersOSU · · Score: 5, Funny

    It looks like you're trying to repair a superconductor coolant loop. Would you like to:
    (a) vent all helium
    (b) order another 30 ton transformer
    (c) damn the torpedoes, lets make some black holes.

  5. Read the article by Technopaladin · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder if anyone has considered the dangers of that much free helium. If there was a horrible accident at LHC if they called anyone their voices would be too high pitched to take seriously.

  6. LHC Joke of the Day by CorporateSuit · · Score: 5, Funny

    Q: What did one CERN Scientist say to the other after they collided their first particles?

    A: What's the matter?

    --
    I am the richest astronaut ever to win the superbowl.
  7. Re:They will trun it back the day after the CUBS w by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, the world ended when the Red Sox won it all, it's just that nobody noticed.

  8. Re:They will trun it back the day after the CUBS w by drolli · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am dissappointed. We are on slashdot. Please say instead
    "The results will be evalutaed using GNU/Hurd"
    or "The operators could finish a round of DNF in the breaks" or "a microsoft linux running on phantom game consoles is used as a thin client operating system" etc...

    NO Sports, please!