EU Scientists Working On Laser To Rip a Hole In Spacetime

astroengine writes "Those pesky physicists are at it again; they want to build a laser so powerful that it will literally rip spacetime apart. Why? To prove the existence of virtual particles in the quantum vacuum, potentially unravel extra dimensions and possibly find the root of dark matter. The $1.6 billion Extreme Light Infrastructure Ultra-High Field Facility (known as ELI) will be built somewhere in Europe by the end of the decade and physicists are hoping the ten high-powered lasers — delivering 200 petawatts of power at a target for less than a trillionth of a second — will turn up some surprises about the very fabric of the Universe."

Comments

Ok. That's one research field going too fast.

[unity100]

Im all for subatomic and quantum physics research - whatever you want to name this field with hip terms.

But, going about intentionally ripping space/time, getting into dark matter and whatnot, without actually having grasped and totally measured the presence, effects and mechanics of what we already discovered in regard to these, is dangerous. imagine if the research at the turn of the century went a bit too fast, and someone accidentally caused a nuclear fission without taking proper precautions at a lab. dark matter and what surrounds it, may be holding similar energy potential to unleash in certain conditions. i wouldnt want to meet those conditions before we know that we actually know what we are doing.