Black Holes From the LHC Could Last For Minutes

KentuckyFC writes "There is absolutely, positively, definitely no chance of the LHC destroying the planet (or this way either) when it eventually switches on some time later this year. And yet a few niggling doubts are persuading some scientists to run through their figures again. One potential method of destruction is that the LHC will create tiny black holes that could swallow everything in their path, including the planet. Various scientists have said this will not happen because the black holes would decay before they could do any damage. But physicists who have re-run the calculations now say that the mini black holes produced by the LHC could last for seconds, possibly minutes. Of course, the real question is whether they decay faster than they can grow. The new calculations suggest that the decay mechanism should win over and that the catastrophic growth of a black hole from the LHC 'does not seem possible' (abstract). But shouldn't we require better assurance than that?"

Comments

The fact that there is some doubt

[Anonymous Coward]

Is reason enough not to put this insane collider online. It should not be turned on...period. These scientists should not be dicking around with our lives indiscriminately.

Re:Um...freudian slip?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, if you call this a human. You know what they say - you can take a nigger out of the jungle, but you can never take the jungle out of a nigger.

Re:I say "go for it!"

[Anonymous Coward]

Someone didn't take his prozac today