| | | | | "Therefore, the black holes in the collider will be more |
| CERN, Switzerland, August 7, 2008 – The LHC | | | | like "theoretical" black holes. Their mass will be |
| team has rescheduled the launch of the most | | | | thousands times smaller than mass of a match head, |
| ambitious and unprecedented science experiment ever | | | | so they can't pose any hazard to public health and |
| devised. The first attempts of smashing protons in the | | | | safety or to the environment." |
| world's largest particle accelerator will take place on | | | | While on the one hand this seems like a good |
| October 21, 2008. The energy of protons is expected | | | | explanation, upon closer look it doesn't appear very |
| to reach values that existed during the Big Bang. | | | | satisfactory. Gillies' words apply to collisions of two |
| The behavior of particles at ultrahigh velocities and | | | | individual protons, whereas in the LHC there will be |
| phenomena appearing in place of collision can hardly | | | | trillions of protons racing around the magnet ring at |
| be predicted. While this fact seems to be very inspiring | | | | 99,99% the speed of light. Added together all these |
| for scientists, it doesn't produce much excitement | | | | particles will carry the equivalent energy of a 50-ton |
| among other people. Several lawsuits have been filed | | | | truck, which is definitely more dangerous than a match |
| against CERN, arguing that the research can produce | | | | head. |
| potentially dangerous substances that could put the | | | | When we asked this question to Michael Evans, a |
| Earth at risk. | | | | spokesman for the LHC Diagnostic Division, he did not |
| In one of the lawsuits filed by a critic of the collider's | | | | give any reassuring answer, but simply laughed the |
| safety measures, the LHC was labeled "a Doomsday | | | | theme off. "There is nothing to worry about," Evans |
| machine". The suit claimed that high energy collisions | | | | said. "And if you do, I can advise you to visit our |
| may result in birth of miniature black holes which will | | | | partner's website – they have a backup plan for |
| swallow the whole planet, and sought to delay the | | | | everybody." |
| launch of the accelerator. The case was closed after | | | | The final word has not yet been spoken, and CERN |
| the Safety Study Commission reported that there is | | | | lawyers expect to deal with more cases against the |
| no danger related to the production of new particles. | | | | upcoming launch. One thing can be said for sure: the |
| "When two particles collide, the result, be it radiation, a | | | | machine will be launched this year, and it will be the |
| particle, or a set of particles, can't be of higher energy | | | | biggest scientific breakthrough of the year, if not the |
| than the overall initial energy," said Brad Gillies, one of | | | | decade. |
| the experts of the Collider Study Group (CSG). | | | | |