Posted on 03/31/2010 12:41:00 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Scientists celebrated at the world's biggest atom smasher at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva on Tuesday as they started colliding particles at record energy levels mimicking conditions close to the Big Bang, opening a new era in the quest for the secrets of the universe.
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) said it had unleashed the unprecedented bursts of energy on the third attempt, as beams of protons thrust around the 27-kilometre (16.8-mile) accelerator collided at close to the speed of light.
"This is physics in the making, the beginning of a new era, we have collisions at 7 TeV (teralectronvolts)," said Paola Catapano, a CERN scientist and spokeswoman, referring to the record energy levels achieved.
This, the third attempt, triggered collisions among the 20 billion protons in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at 1.06 pm (1106 GMT), creating powerful but microscopic bursts of energy that mimic conditions close to the Big Bang that created the universe.
"We're within a billionth of a second of the Big Bang," CERN spokesman James Gillies told AFP. The new stage, dubbed "First Physics", marks only the beginning of an initial 18- to 24-month series of billions of such collisions.
The LHC, which is located in a tunnel under the Franco-Swiss border, ground to halt with a major breakdown within days of its launch in 2008. But the huge scientific experiment then passed several groundbreaking milestones since it was restarted from repairs last November.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailygalaxy.com ...
Science ping?
Those of us that don’t know would like a percentage of what they achieved to the speed of light.
According to the article, 99.99 percent of the speed of light. Its there.
Was that the same radar gun that clocked a house doing 30?
they are messing with ‘ God stuff’
I don’t like it
Hype. The thing is completely stationary.
I like it because it may have military applications.
Heh... holding my breath! When they get to the speed of light (or over - not that it would not be worthy), let me know... Right now, I’m hiding under my bed waiting for the end of the world...
“Large Hadron Atom Smasher Reaches Near Speed of Light
Hype. The thing is completely stationary. “
You are moving at the same speed so it seems stationary to you :)
In special relativity, while it is impossible in an inertial frame to accelerate an object to the speed of light, or for a massive object to move at the speed of light, it is not impossible for an object to exist which always moves faster than light. The hypothetical elementary particles that have this property are called tachyons.
Hah! Little do you know about physics! Don’t you know that the speed of light is just a problem with measurement? If we could actually measure the speed of light, we would let the actual speed be known! Today, they only give you a guesstimate, forget about actual speed... So, all for the Atom Smasher...go get em boys... Actually, this just may answer some questions - while in reality, will just provide more questions. All to the good I say...
For those that might get their dander up - this is a tongue in cheek - so go away...ha...
Whatever.
Heh...just trying to be non-scientific... Sometimes it helps to make fun of science...especially if you look back on all the science of the past...
Don’t take all of this so seriously... Don’t worry, everything you know about this today will be obsolete in another 20 years or so...
Love it! I just hope that they can learn enough to outpace the ignorance of the future... Actually, this is a great advance and I hope they do actually advance our knowledge without too much hype - (that science that seems to get involved with politics). Who knows, they may just advance beyond that 20 year envelope.. and be right 30 years from now.
Remember, Einstein was wrong on some of his statements. Never take today’s science for tomorrow’s results. Things change with knowledge (and it is ever changing).
You are correct. Stephen Hawking(who currently holds the same seat Sir Issac Newton held) and CalTech’s Kip Thorne has proved some of them incorrect.
Yes, he did... and many followers will continue to find different results... That to me is what makes this so exciting - ongoing changes in current science! Actually, it is a shame that it is happening so fast these days - technology is finally attempting to catch up with real science. Unfortunately, you need to be a youngster for you to be able to see and visualize the future. Damn it all...heh.
I agree
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