# The Large Hadron Collider has failed to bring catastrophe. I am vexed. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 10, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972 "2008-09-10T18:55:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/41 "2008-09-10T23:37:28Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > Now you’re just being silly. Everyone knows that antichocolate tastes like white chocolate. Still, it’s not without it’s charms. I’m sorry, I’ll go. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/42 "2008-09-10T23:37:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Out of curiosity, do you routinely lay awake at night worried about the possibility that the Sun might fail to rise tomorrow morning? Because that’s about the same amount of risk as is involved with the LHC. The absolute worst-case scenario is that a bunch of expensive laboratory equipment gets ruined. Well, I suppose there could also be a few hour power outage in Geneva, if there’s a surge that blows out a few transformers. Thank you! People, it’s an _adventure_. It’s a really incredibly awesomely cool thing. It’s not something to be afraid of! ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/43 "2008-09-10T23:42:34Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Out of curiosity, do you routinely lay awake at night worried about the possibility that the Sun might fail to rise tomorrow morning? No, I lay awake afraid the sun will spontaneously become golden sponge cake with creamy filling. According to quantum physics, the chance of this happening is greater than zero. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/44 "2008-09-10T23:45:01Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > Now you’re just being silly. Everyone knows that antichocolate tastes like white chocolate. Balderdash! I refer you to the findings of Professor Milton Hershey. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/45 "2008-09-10T23:55:38Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Balderdash! I refer you to the findings of Professor Milton Hershey. Look, we’re not in the Pit, and I like you, so I’ll just say this: I live in Germany, the Land of Chocolate. _Real_ Chocolate. I have nothing but the deepest respect and esteem for Mr. Hershey and the community he created, but, um … whatever one might say about the relation to Hershey to actual chocolate, the simple fact is that white chocolate is as closely connected to the most luscious, sensual, decadent, seductive foodstuff ever concocted as a Chia Pet is to a Golden Retriever. I mean no disrepect to Chia Pets. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/46 "2008-09-11T00:11:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Out of curiosity, do you routinely lay awake at night worried about the possibility that the Sun might fail to rise tomorrow morning? Because that’s about the same amount of risk as is involved with the LHC. The absolute worst-case scenario is that a bunch of expensive laboratory equipment gets ruined. Well, I suppose there could also be a few hour power outage in Geneva, if there’s a surge that blows out a few transformers. I know. Rationally, I know I’m being really silly about this. But… I keep reading that people are getting freaked out, and other scientists are objecting, and I can’t stop dwelling on it. I just wish I could forget about it until October 22. I’m sorry to do this to you all. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/47 "2008-09-11T00:18:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Out of curiosity, do you routinely lay awake at night worried about the possibility that the Sun might fail to rise tomorrow morning? Because that’s about the same amount of risk as is involved with the LHC. The absolute worst-case scenario is that a bunch of expensive laboratory equipment gets ruined. Well, I suppose there could also be a few hour power outage in Geneva, if there’s a surge that blows out a few transformers. I figure the chances are about double that when you add in the possibility that the galactic overlords will send their fleet to destroy us because we are getting to close to the SECRET KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNIVERSE …verse … verse … verse 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/48 "2008-09-11T00:19:55Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > I know. Rationally, I know I’m being really silly about this. > > But… I keep reading that people are getting freaked out, and other scientists are objecting, and I can’t stop dwelling on it. I just wish I could forget about it until October 22. > > I’m sorry to do this to you all. It’s okay. Hey, have some chocolate to take your mind off things! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/49 "2008-09-11T00:21:17Z")
Nothing in _this_ universe has been winked out of existence. How many other universes have been destroyed? Hmmm? But they were probably a threat to us anyway, what with their possible Colliders of Mass Destruction that might destroy our universe. And suppose that all these trillions of collisions every nanosecond each create a universe of their own? Hmmm? Some of which turn out to be stable in their own frame of reference. They wonder if there is a God and how it all came into being. It’s turtles all the way down!!! ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/50 "2008-09-11T00:31:46Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > It’s okay. Hey, have some chocolate to take your mind off things! Now _that_ is a sensible suggestion. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/51 "2008-09-11T00:47:52Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Nah. I just did the antimatter test. I ate some chocolate. It tasted like chocolate. Chocolate composed of antimatter tastes like antichocolate, also known as vanilla. Not if you taste it with an antitongue! Think, man, think! ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/52 "2008-09-11T00:53:35Z")
My birthday was 09/09. It would have been cool to have at least a little something go boom-boom. Well, maybe next year…on 09/09/09! ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/53 "2008-09-11T01:10:19Z")
I figure if I watch [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6aU-wFSqt0&feature=rec-fresh) enough, I’ll retain a vague idea of what the LHC is really trying to do. Also…did everyone notice that Google’s home page paid tribute to this today? I was proud that I had a clue what they were depicting… GT ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/54 "2008-09-11T01:12:15Z")
I am very concerned about this thing causing our universe to collapse and I’ve been preparing for the end of times. Today I prepared by having Pringles for dinner and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/55 "2008-09-11T01:32:38Z")
> [@gardentraveler](#): > > I figure if I watch [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6aU-wFSqt0&feature=rec-fresh) enough, I’ll retain a vague idea of what the LHC is really trying to do. > > Also…did everyone notice that Google’s home page paid tribute to this today? I was proud that I had a clue what they were depicting… > > GT OMG!!! Can´t you see!?. the Google logo is being sucked into the black hole!!! it´s happening! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/56 "2008-09-11T02:00:50Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > OMG!!! Can´t you see!?. the Google logo is being sucked into the black hole!!! it´s happening! :eek: Ooops. That was supposed to be top secret, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/57 "2008-09-11T02:15:03Z")
[Here’s a useful link for tracking the status of this situation](http://www.hasthelhcdestroyedtheearth.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/58 "2008-09-11T02:23:30Z")
It’s worth noting that the kind of trouble the LHC might cause (according to worst-case fears of those who fear it) might not show up immediately. Specifically, if microscopic black holes are formed, they might drop into the earth and start hollowing it out without anyone knowing until the damned thing is shut down and subject to microscopic examination over every inch. At which point it would be too late to do anything. I don’t think for a moment that’s going to happen – but if by some weird chance it does happen, we won’t know about it for a good long while, even if we spend the time smugly posting “Nothing’s Happened” in big bold fonts. It’s kinda like insisting smoking is safe because you don’t _feel like_ cancer has started. Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/59 "2008-09-11T03:04:22Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > It’s worth noting that the kind of trouble the LHC might cause (according to worst-case fears of those who fear it) might not show up immediately. Specifically, if microscopic black holes are formed, they might drop into the earth and start hollowing it out without anyone knowing until the damned thing is shut down and subject to microscopic examination over every inch. At which point it would be too late to do anything. > > I don’t think for a moment that’s going to happen – but if by some weird chance it does happen, we won’t know about it for a good long while, even if we spend the time smugly posting “Nothing’s Happened” in big bold fonts. > > It’s kinda like insisting smoking is safe because you don’t _feel like_ cancer has started. > > Sailboat Of course. And in the trillions of years it would take for a micro black hole to have any visible effect on the surface of Earth, any doom-sayers still around can feel free to chant “told ya so”. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972/60 "2008-09-11T03:09:10Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > My birthday was 09/09. It would have been cool to have at least a little something go boom-boom. Well, maybe next year…on 09/09/09! My birthday was 08/08/08 and nothing went boom-boom for me… (That’s the expression they use these days, right?) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-large-hadron-collider-has-failed-to-bring-catastrophe-i-am-vexed/462972.md?page=4)