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Another Way the LHC Could Self-Destruct
KentuckyFC writes "Just when you thought it was safe to switch on the LHC (though it won't be for a while yet), another nightmare scenario has emerged that some critics worry could cause the particle accelerator to explode. The culprit this time is not an Earth-swallowing black hole but a 'Bose supernova' in the accelerator's superfluid helium bath. Physicists have been playing with Bose Einstein Condensate (BECs) for over 10 years now. But in 2001, one group discovered that placing them in a powerful magnetic field could cause the attractive forces between atoms to become repulsive. That caused their BEC to explode in a Bose supernova — which they called a 'Bosenova,' a name that fortunately did not catch on. This was little more than a curiosity when only a microscopic blob of cold matter was involved. But superfluid liquid helium is also BEC. And physicists have suddenly remembered that the LHC is swimming in 700,000 liters of the stuff while being zapped by some of the most powerful magnetic fields on the planet. So is the LHC a Bose supernova waiting to go off? Not according to the CERN theory division, which has published its calculations that show the LHC is safe (abstract). They also point out that no other superfluid helium handling facility has mysteriously blown itself to pieces."
Let me assure you, there is nothing to be worried about. I'm watching a couple of guys fiddle with some of the magnets right now and they assure me that nothing can go wro
Does this mean we can just blame it on the Bosenova?
"They also point out that no other superfluid helium handling facility has mysteriously blown itself to pieces."
True, but, no other SFH2 facility was wielding a 1Tev particle beam like it was a toy light saber, either.
Sig this!
An expanding BEC isn't anywhere close to a supernova. This would be similar to snapping the valve off of a liquid helium tank. The guys at CERN could blow themselves up with this, but that's about it. They could blow themselves up lots of ways.
It was called a "bosenova" because it shrinks before it expands, not because it's super destructive.
I believe the LHC is perfectly safe...but your comparisons aren't that good...and here's why:
When testing a car for the first time, the worst that could happen is the tester of the car dies.
It is very easy to find one person who believes the science - and therefor is willing to test the car.
We should not expect the entire planet to be happy to "test" the LHC and its physics. We know they are safe...and don't mind testing. But some people aren't, and you can't really complain about that.
Oh and the bombs where made to end WWII, so there was obviously a very imminent need for the nuke...unlike the LHC physics...which are immensely interesting, but not really important for everyone.
No kitty, this is my pot pie!
Q: What's funnier than running the world's largest particle collider while the janitor is inside, cleaning the pipes?
A: Nothing
I am the richest astronaut ever to win the superbowl.
The problem is that the LHC has caused the production of strange moron particles, which seem to bump into normal people and turn them into more strange morons. The collective outgassing of stupidity causes a supernova brain implosion.
http://rocknerd.co.uk
Could it be worse than melting a 40-ton magnet, which actually happened?
HCG 50a = 2MASX J11170638+5455016
11h17m06.4s +54d55m02s
Energy doesn't magically come from nowhere.
In this (imaginary) case, the energy in would be that of the magnetic field. Trying to spin this as a possible supernova plays on ignorance, is scaremongering, and is just plain wrong.
When did Slashdot turn into Fox News?
Or it could split the planet wide open if the uninformed hyperbole gets to hot and detonates.
Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!
and we used to blow stuff up for fun when I was a kid. Now I work in an MRI research lab.
This sounds like something I need to try tomorrow.
Helium isn't explosive, it's the most inert material you can get. If you want to make it explode it's going to have to be taking in energy from the magnetic field it is in, so the LHC's helium can never explode any more powerfully than a loss of superconductivity in the magnets would do anyway. Conservation of energy.
also, lolwtfsig
That's the point of the myth: Apollo granted her the gift of prophesy, then cursed her by making it so nobody would ever believe her predictions.
oh and BTW, the windshield is necessary to allow a human driver to continue breathing at today's highway speeds. it's very hard to properly exhale at 50-60 mph.
This is getting way OT, but I thought a windshield was also to protect my face from flying objects (stones, bugs, etc.). Considering my windshield just got chipped by a stone the other day, I'd rather not have to endure something like that hitting me in the eye.
>>oh and BTW, the windshield is necessary to allow a human driver to continue breathing at today's highway speeds. it's very hard to properly exhale at 50-60 mph. tell that to bikers riding at 125 without helmets on every day..at 50 mph they arelikely smoking ciggs or doobies..lol
The only way to bust a doper--is when you yourself become a smoker!
Uh huh. And the various (admittedly foolish) motorcycle drivers I see riding on their bikes at 80mph without helmets are just holding their breath?
Okay! Important Safety Tip. Don't cross the Streams.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
I'm sure glad there's more certainty in economic and finance theory than physics; otherwise banks would be ....... we're fucked
Table-ized A.I.
And now we finally know how the ancient Atlantians created the moon and killed off the dinosaurs all at once.
Failure to follow this advice may result in non-deterministic behavior.