MIT physicist gets death threats over collider

The Boston Globe ^ | September 9, 2008 | Carolyn Y. Johnson

[buccaneer81]

MIT physicist gets death threats over collider

September 9, 2008 01:19 PM

By Carolyn Y. Johnson

Frank Wilczek, an MIT physicist and Nobel laureate, has received death threats from what he called "one disturbed individual," as the world's largest physics experiment is poised to come online tomorrow in Europe.

[buccaneer81]

(or they won’t)...

Bet you $10.00 ;-)

[Cringing Negativism Network]

How can it (possibly) be a good idea to create something which only ever eats everything it comes into contact with ... even photons of LIGHT?

I can just picture it.

CERN: One month from now. Wilhelm and Claus have just created a black hole. They look at each other for a moment.

Claus asks “did it work”.

Wilhelm says “Ja, let me look”, and turns on his flashlight...

[Strategerist]

The earth gets hit with rays more powerful than even CERN can create.

There are “super high energy cosmic rays” from space which are fairly rare, but which have been detected hitting the atmosphere. Unfortunately there are so few of them and they’re obviously scattered all over the earth, that you can’t really use them to study particle physics.

Point is, if CERN will destroy the Earth, the impact of one of these rays, millions upon millions of which have hit the Earth, would have destroyed the Earth first.

[buccaneer81]

I did think it was funny today when Glenn Beck suggested we at least leave a note on the moon for future species in case it goes bad.....

I have a feeling that the Moon would follow us into oblivion ;-)

[Cringing Negativism Network]

How many of those particles you refer to, collide precisely right into each other in opposite directions, both at light speed — exactly on the surface of our planet?...

[buccaneer81]

I have no idea what this Large Hadron Collider is but if MIT is doing it, it has to be cool. What is more......those dirt bag countries that hate us....THEY ARE NOT DOING IT so that makes it even better!

Well...we're not exactly doing it. The Europeans are ( although Americans are a part of the team.)

[calex59]

I will bet anyone on this thread, or any other, $1,000,000 that the world will not end from this experiment. If any of you are so sure that it will cause the end of the world come and bet. After all, I can’t lose. If the world ends, I won’t have to pay, if it doesn’t end someone will owe me a million. So, any takers?

[buccaneer81]

After all, I can’t lose. If the world ends, I won’t have to pay, if it doesn’t end someone will owe me a million.

Let's run that by the DNC! LOL!

[hippyhater]

I am finishin up all of my weed just in case this is true...

[hippyhater]

I am finishin up all of my weed just in case this is true...

[Just Another Lurker]

Fittinng name.

[buccaneer81]

I am finishin up all of my weed just in case this is true...

I'm staying in bed tomorrow. They always say it's best to die in bed.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Alright, as long as I’m gonna get beat up on this thread.

I’ll run with it.

Scientists know how to clone human babies, to harvest stem cells.

Does that make it a good idea?

[353FMG]

“Wilczek said doomsday fears about the collider are unfounded.”

Let’s find out — push the button, dammit!

[Just Another Lurker]

I wasn't trying to beat you up, just enjoyed the relation of your name to your responses on this thread.

[bubbacluck]

I think tomorrow's test date is just a smoke screen. The test actually happened today. We are all now existing in a black hole.

Doesn't feel any different, does it?

[Cringing Negativism Network]

I’ve heard it before. :)

Bring it.

[buccaneer81]

Doesn't feel any different, does it?

Life is just a dream...