# Weasel disables Large Hadron Collider, pays the ultimate price **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 29, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434 "2016-04-29T16:59:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/1 "2016-04-29T16:59:45Z")
[Link (NPR)](http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/29/476154494/weasel-shuts-down-world-s-most-powerful-particle-collider) [QUOTE=NPR] The Large Hadron Collider, a 17-mile superconducting machine designed to smash protons together at close to the speed of light, went offline overnight. Engineers investigating the mishap found the charred remains of a furry creature near a gnawed-through power cable. “We had electrical problems, and we are pretty sure this was caused by a small animal,” says Arnaud Marsollier, head of press for CERN, the organization that runs the $7 billion particle collider in Switzerland. Although they had not conducted a thorough analysis of the remains, Marsollier says they believe the creature was “a weasel, probably.” [/QUOTE] Could have been worse. I don’t think we’re equipped to deal with a vengeful Dr. Manhattan weasel. Looks like the LHC will be down for a few weeks. Definitely not ideal, but I’m glad the damage wasn’t more severe. I hope the little critter went down quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/2 "2016-04-29T17:19:52Z")
Oh, _sure_ it was a weasel. It definitely wasn’t the creatures from Kepler-186f, attempting to sabotage our invention of quantum propulsion. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/3 "2016-04-29T17:28:06Z")
Some pet weasel lost his life, but his owner holding him at the time is now Ferret Man! ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/4 "2016-04-29T17:34:07Z")
[Weasels are mustelids.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel) They are predatory, carnivorous little creatures. They aren’t gnawers, though. That whole destructive “what can I chew that will cost somebody the most possible amount of money” thing is a strategy of rodents. The small furry creature that had its intrinsic field removed was much more likely some species of rat than it was a weasel. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/5 "2016-04-29T17:37:22Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > [Weasels are mustelids.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel) They are predatory, carnivorous little creatures. They aren’t gnawers, though. That whole destructive “what can I chew that will cost somebody the most possible amount of money” thing is a strategy of rodents. The small furry creature that had its intrinsic field removed was much more likely some species of rat than it was a weasel. So the weasel was framed while some rodent made it look like a suicide. ---
**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/6 "2016-04-29T17:41:21Z")
Weasels are well known for their Luddite inclinations. Second only to gremlins. You usually don’t encounter them in the field (well, yes, in the field, but no, not in a field of endeavor - a career as it were) because their plans are so cunning - hence the phrase… **Blackadder** : I have come up with a plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/7 "2016-04-29T17:43:14Z")
Pop! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/8 "2016-04-29T17:46:54Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > So the weasel was framed while some rodent made it look like a suicide. Who Fwamed Woger Weasel? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/9 "2016-04-29T17:49:00Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > So the weasel was framed while some rodent made it look like a suicide. I don’t know whether I enjoy that line more in an Edward G. Robinson voice or a Humphrey Bogart voice. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/10 "2016-04-29T18:17:37Z")
Here is a “before” [picture](http://mai-ekaki.deviantart.com/art/The-Almighty-Electric-Weasel-57309881) of the poor guy, if anyone is interested. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/11 "2016-04-29T18:25:34Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Oh, _sure_ it was a weasel. It definitely wasn’t the creatures from Kepler-186f, attempting to sabotage our invention of quantum propulsion. The question is what did the Kepler-186F agent do before he tossed a weasel onto the power grid to cover his actions? Remember the Iranian centrifuges and Stuxnet? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/12 "2016-04-29T20:02:11Z")
Is a weasel (or rodent, whatever) so out-of-place in the LHC? According to the definitions as I understand them, a weasel (or rodent) _is_ just a very large hadron, right? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/13 "2016-04-29T20:05:06Z")
Agent 247 reporting mission success. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/14 "2016-04-29T20:11:59Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > So the weasel was framed while some rodent made it look like a suicide. > [@Scumpup](#): > > I don’t know whether I enjoy that line more in an Edward G. Robinson voice or a Humphrey Bogart voice. It also works in a Phil Hartman as Zapp Brannigan voice. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/15 "2016-04-29T20:23:07Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > It also works in a Phil Hartman as Zapp Brannigan voice. Of course, I meant to say Billy West as Zapp Brannigan. Must have been an autocorrect problem. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/16 "2016-04-29T20:40:32Z")
I didn’t know Donald Trump was even in Switzerland. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/17 "2016-04-29T21:56:41Z")
> [@Corner\_Case](#): > > Weasels are well known for their Luddite inclinations. Second only to gremlins. You usually don’t encounter them in the field (well, yes, in the field, but no, not in a field of endeavor - a career as it were) because their plans are so cunning - hence the phrase… “First actual case of weasel being found.” ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/18 "2016-04-29T22:16:50Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Here is a “before” [picture](http://mai-ekaki.deviantart.com/art/The-Almighty-Electric-Weasel-57309881) of the poor guy, if anyone is interested. How did it fry again? Weasel gripped live mesh…? ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/19 "2016-04-30T10:25:49Z")
Could this have been the work of Straight Dope member **Spice Weasel**? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2016, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434/20 "2016-04-30T12:32:22Z")
> [@X.L.Lent](#): > > Could this have been the work of Straight Dope member **Spice Weasel**? I was assisting Elzar with a cooking competition that day. Sheesh, next you’re gonna ask me if I knew him. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weasel-disables-large-hadron-collider-pays-the-ultimate-price/753434.md?page=2)