This BBC article indicates that there is “no conceivable danger” from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), including the danger from any possible mini-black holes that might be formed. But, Dr. Adrian Kent expresses concern that:
So? Are we worried at all about the LHC going to full start-up? Is the earth going to be destroyed by mini black holes or strangelets after it goes online? They are, after all, going to cross the streams.
I cannot conceive of any possible way I could stop it from happening. If nothing happens, I go on-if a black hole is created, I don’t. I could spend time worrying about it, but then I would have to spend some time worrying about get hit by a drunk driver, which is much more likely.
Q: Where are all the advanced, extraterrestrial civilizations?
A: They all build Hadron Colliders just shortly before they’re able to colonize the galaxy.
From how I understand things, even if a black hole is created, it would lose mass far faster than it would be able to draw in matter from around it, and so wouldn’t last to do anything much.
On a perhaps less scientifically grounded note, I just don’t believe reality is that fragile. I think it is very difficult to destroy a planet.
Anyway, I figure if I’m afraid of the LHC I might as well be afraid of getting out of bed in the morning, there are many ways I could kill myself just (majorly) slipping up my morning routine, choking on food, hitting my head on my night stand too hard/in the wrong place, slipping in the shower and breaking my neck. All of these seem to be (from what I have read) way more statistically plausible than the LHC doing anything bad, and I’m still alive and I’ve woken up every day so far without offing myself so I say bring it on!
Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere. ~Glenn Turner
For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe. ~Author Unknown
Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable. ~Theodore N. Vail
“If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry.” ~ Dalai Lama
Unless of course it creates a black hole that propels us into an Apocalyptic alternate-reality in which a.) all Christians are gone & the AntiChrist is given free reign on the earth, thus being the agency through which God accomplishes the Rapture, or b.) the AntiChrist is given free reign on the earth, even with the Christians here. Of course, if the amillenial view is correct that Christ bound Satan in the first century, perhaps the opening of a black hole by the LHC will be what allows him re-entry to our dimension…
I am more concerned about waking up tomorrow morning to find my face a bony mask as a result of my toenails acquiring sentience during the night, prying themselves loose, scampering gaily up to my head, and carving all the flesh away from the front of my skull.
Lots of people do, every time we have this threads SOMEONE has to say “is that a hadron in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” Or something similar…
The fact that people are able to joke about something like this truly boggles my mind. Yet in any thread about it, at least half of all the posts seem to be jokes. Maybe this is some extreme form of gallows humor, I don’t know.
Yeah, maybe you’re more likely to die from being hit by a car or choking on food. Does that mean that you should DELIBERATELY go walk into the middle of traffic, or shove a huge piece of food down your throat and choke yourself?