Comments on: LHC and the man on the street http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:58:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Nick http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82206 Nick Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:19:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82206 I am convinced that the LHC will not destroy the world, and I know the odds are infinesimally small, but exactly what are the odds? I have heard 1 in 10^73, does that sound right? Or even lower? I am convinced that the LHC will not destroy the world, and I know the odds are infinesimally small, but exactly what are the odds? I have heard 1 in 10^73, does that sound right? Or even lower?

]]> By: notepad http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82205 notepad Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:34:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82205 32 days left. Status: 19.04.08 - 32 days left. www.notepad.ch Save the universe. Timeline ISSUE Large explosion: 2005 ISSUE Magnet failure: 2007 TEST Test Sector warmup/coopdown cycle: 2007 QA ISSUE 7 of 8 segments failed cool-down tests CANCELLED Complete warmup/cooldown cycle, Low power runs INIT System init (1. Time Beam injection): 21. May 2008 INIT Cold Date: 1. June 2008 INIT (1. Time Protons used): 15. June 2008 DOCU New safety report not released START System activation (1. Time Circulating beams): July 2008 RISK Black hole (First collisions: August 2008 PROD System ready: October 2008 HIGH RISK EXPERIMENT Elevated black hole risk: 21. December 1212 Important note: These are not official dates. No official dates where available to us yet. CERN should publish them. These dates are based on news, opinions and insider info. Additionally, I try my best. I am not a scientist - just a citizen. I will update this information and all information on www.notepad.ch as soon as new information becomes available. The blogs at www.notepad. have been created on the 14 of April, that is the date I realized that the black hole danger at the CERN's LHC is for real. My goal is to let you decide if there is an issue with the 'go to prod' of the LHC - or not. That is the reason this site consists just of News, opinions, forum messages etc. I always named the source of the quote, did mention in each article that this is a quote from etc. My assumption is that this is the legal and fair way to quote without changing the context. Please tell me if I am wrong and I will immediately correct it. Thank you. XX days refers to the initialisation of the LHC. This is the date I currently think is right, but may be corrected at any time. It was pointed out that at this date the risk of black hole creation will not be elevated yet, which is through. In XX days I'm referring to the start date of the potential risk to create a black hole. I also wanted to have a real date, in order to put some urgency on the issue. Which it has. www.notepad.ch 32 days left.

Status: 19.04.08 – 32 days left.
http://www.notepad.ch
Save the universe.

Timeline

ISSUE Large explosion: 2005
ISSUE Magnet failure: 2007
TEST Test Sector warmup/coopdown cycle: 2007
QA ISSUE 7 of 8 segments failed cool-down tests
CANCELLED Complete warmup/cooldown cycle, Low power runs
INIT System init (1. Time Beam injection): 21. May 2008
INIT Cold Date: 1. June 2008
INIT (1. Time Protons used): 15. June 2008
DOCU New safety report not released
START System activation (1. Time Circulating beams): July 2008
RISK Black hole (First collisions: August 2008
PROD System ready: October 2008
HIGH RISK EXPERIMENT Elevated black hole risk: 21. December 1212

Important note:
These are not official dates. No official dates where available to us yet. CERN should publish them.
These dates are based on news, opinions and insider info. Additionally, I try my best. I am not a scientist – just a citizen. I will update this information and all information on http://www.notepad.ch as soon as new information becomes available. The blogs at http://www.notepad. have been created on the 14 of April, that is the date I realized that the black hole danger at the CERN’s LHC is for real. My goal is to let you decide if there is an issue with the ‘go to prod’ of the LHC – or not. That is the reason this site consists just of News, opinions, forum messages etc. I always named the source of the quote, did mention in each article that this is a quote from etc. My assumption is that this is the legal and fair way to quote without changing the context. Please tell me if I am wrong and I will immediately correct it. Thank you.

XX days refers to the initialisation of the LHC. This is the date I currently think is right, but may be corrected at any time. It was pointed out that at this date the risk of black hole creation will not be elevated yet, which is through. In XX days I’m referring to the start date of the potential risk to create a black hole. I also wanted to have a real date, in order to put some urgency on the issue. Which it has.

http://www.notepad.ch

]]> By: mariachi82 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82204 mariachi82 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:04:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82204 From all the doomsday scenarios, this seems the coolest. For once, it will bring humanity "together" heheeh From all the doomsday scenarios, this seems the coolest. For once, it will bring humanity “together” heheeh

]]> By: Tom http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82203 Tom Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:05:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82203 > Keep it in your churches, I don’t want to touch it with a ten foot stick. I'd prefer it was simply abolished. OK, that's completely unrealistic. But perhaps it could fall by the wayside just as belief in many things have. We've seen slavery discarded. Astrology has been turned into the joke it is. Nobody thinks the earth is supported on a turtle's back. We've rejected absurd ideas like witches exist and can create thunderstorms and transform humans into animals. We've set aside blood letting as a therapy. We have tossed aside ideas of "racial supremacy." Oh, sure. There are still some people who believe in some of those things. But they are in the outer fringe of civilized society. With any luck, religion itself will fall into that realm soon. On the other hand, a majority of Americans believe Jesus is coming back. Soon. ~sigh~ > Keep it in your churches, I don’t want to touch it with a ten foot stick.

I’d prefer it was simply abolished.

OK, that’s completely unrealistic. But perhaps it could fall by the wayside just as belief in many things have.

We’ve seen slavery discarded. Astrology has been turned into the joke it is. Nobody thinks the earth is supported on a turtle’s back. We’ve rejected absurd ideas like witches exist and can create thunderstorms and transform humans into animals. We’ve set aside blood letting as a therapy. We have tossed aside ideas of “racial supremacy.”

Oh, sure. There are still some people who believe in some of those things. But they are in the outer fringe of civilized society.

With any luck, religion itself will fall into that realm soon.

On the other hand, a majority of Americans believe Jesus is coming back. Soon.

~sigh~

]]> By: TomV http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82202 TomV Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:57:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82202 > I don’t KNOW!! Do YOU? Actually, yes I do. I know for a fact God does not exist. How do I know that? .... He told me. > I don’t KNOW!! Do YOU?

Actually, yes I do.

I know for a fact God does not exist. How do I know that? …. He told me.

]]> By: Luke http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82201 Luke Sun, 13 Apr 2008 10:24:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82201 Reply to KC: There's a big difference between LHC and the critical mass measurement experiments you're referring to. They knew fully well that manipulating a just-barely-critical assembly of plutonium inside a neutron reflector, all up close and personal, by hand, to try and make a critical mass measurement was very, very dangerous - exactly why they did it that way, I don't know. The safety concerns surrounding LHC have been very thoroughly studied by physicists - and the consensus is that it's completely safe. Reply to KC:

There’s a big difference between LHC and the critical mass measurement experiments you’re referring to.

They knew fully well that manipulating a just-barely-critical assembly of plutonium inside a neutron reflector, all up close and personal, by hand, to try and make a critical mass measurement was very, very dangerous – exactly why they did it that way, I don’t know.

The safety concerns surrounding LHC have been very thoroughly studied by physicists – and the consensus is that it’s completely safe.

]]> By: Lars http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82200 Lars Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:38:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82200 I "know" that religion does more harm than good, just as certainly as you "know" the opposite. Religion should be banned from coming anywhere near science, because its nature is corruption of reason. Science doesn't try to do anything to religion, other than perhaps describe it. Religion, on the other hand, is attacking and polluting science with garbage like ID. Keep it in your churches, I don't want to touch it with a ten foot stick. I “know” that religion does more harm than good, just as certainly as you “know” the opposite.

Religion should be banned from coming anywhere near science, because its nature is corruption of reason. Science doesn’t try to do anything to religion, other than perhaps describe it. Religion, on the other hand, is attacking and polluting science with garbage like ID.

Keep it in your churches, I don’t want to touch it with a ten foot stick.

]]> By: Tom http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82199 Tom Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:24:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82199 Aw come on! Give us Christians a chance. There are many millions of us and science tries everything to knock our beliefs. But many scientists have been and are believers in one religion or another. The LHC is a great idea and I hope the Higgs is found; it's has beeen an 'article of faith' among scientists for a while now. They thought for some time that Higgs himself was a bit flaky! There's room for us all. By the way I am a firm believer in science and the scientific method, but, and you'll think this a delicious irony, I don't like very dogmatic statements whether from scientists or religionists of whatever stripe. I don't KNOW!! Do YOU? Aw come on! Give us Christians a chance. There are many millions of us and science tries everything to knock our beliefs. But many scientists have been and are believers in one religion or another. The LHC is a great idea and I hope the Higgs is found; it’s has beeen an ‘article of faith’ among scientists for a while now. They thought for some time that Higgs himself was a bit flaky! There’s room for us all. By the way I am a firm believer in science and the scientific method, but, and you’ll think this a delicious irony, I don’t like very dogmatic statements whether from scientists or religionists of whatever stripe. I don’t KNOW!! Do YOU?

]]> By: eigenvector http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82198 eigenvector Sun, 13 Apr 2008 04:08:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82198 Stephen Hawking, yes, THAT Stephen Hawking, made one of his annual--more or less--visits to Caltech in Pasadena Wednesday, April 9, 2008 and gave a prerecorded talk on black holes to the general public that evening. He had previously agreed to answer five questions from entries submitted earlier by Caltech students (how cool is that? What would YOU ask him?). According to a Los Angeles Times article (April 12, 2008, page A12) he needed two days to program the answers into his computer. Anyway, one question was about the LHC black hole controversy. His last paragraph, word-for-word from the newspaper: "Particles from collisions far greater than those in the LHC occur all the time in cosmic rays, but nothing terrible happens." Simple, to the point, clearly understood by even the most resolute unbeliever! Can you not love Hawking? Let the LHC rip! Stephen Hawking, yes, THAT Stephen Hawking, made one of his annual–more or less–visits to Caltech in Pasadena Wednesday, April 9, 2008 and gave a prerecorded talk on black holes to the general public that evening. He had previously agreed to answer five questions from entries submitted earlier by Caltech students (how cool is that? What would YOU ask him?). According to a Los Angeles Times article (April 12, 2008, page A12) he needed two days to program the answers into his computer. Anyway, one question was about the LHC black hole controversy. His last paragraph, word-for-word from the newspaper: “Particles from collisions far greater than those in the LHC occur all the time in cosmic rays, but nothing terrible happens.” Simple, to the point, clearly understood by even the most resolute unbeliever! Can you not love Hawking? Let the LHC rip!

]]> By: Richard B. Drumm http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82197 Richard B. Drumm Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:47:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82197 I noticed that the girl interviewer didn't know how to pronounce "infinitesimal". She kept saying "infan-tesmal"... Oh well, I do know where Geneva & the LHC are and I'd throw the switch in a femtosecond. Anybody know when the kickoff is? Higgs in the crosshairs! W00T! Rich in Charlottesville I noticed that the girl interviewer didn’t know how to pronounce “infinitesimal”. She kept saying “infan-tesmal”…
Oh well, I do know where Geneva & the LHC are and I’d throw the switch in a femtosecond. Anybody know when the kickoff is?
Higgs in the crosshairs! W00T!
Rich in Charlottesville

]]> By: Buzz Parsec http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82196 Buzz Parsec Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:17:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82196 Yes, Mandy! K9 will save us! Yes, Mandy! K9 will save us!

]]> By: spicoli http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82195 spicoli Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:54:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82195 Thank you KC, for being reasonable. Thank you KC, for being reasonable.

]]> By: Pieter Kok http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82194 Pieter Kok Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:49:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82194 Barton, assuming supersymmetry exists, proton decay will take care of ordinary matter before everything gets swallowed by black holes (i.e., protons to pions and positrons, pions to photons, and electron-positron annihilation to photons). The timescale for this should be at least 10^32 years. Barton, assuming supersymmetry exists, proton decay will take care of ordinary matter before everything gets swallowed by black holes (i.e., protons to pions and positrons, pions to photons, and electron-positron annihilation to photons). The timescale for this should be at least 10^32 years.

]]> By: Skeptischer Streifzug quer durch die Blogroll at gwup | die skeptiker http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82193 Skeptischer Streifzug quer durch die Blogroll at gwup | die skeptiker Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:51:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82193 [...] Cheneys Sonnenbrille. Themen sind auch eine Straßen-Umfrage unter US-Bürgern bzgl. Schwarzer Löcher aus Genf sowie die überraschende Entdeckung der USS Enterprise in einem ägyptischen [...] [...] Cheneys Sonnenbrille. Themen sind auch eine Straßen-Umfrage unter US-Bürgern bzgl. Schwarzer Löcher aus Genf sowie die überraschende Entdeckung der USS Enterprise in einem ägyptischen [...]

]]> By: Nospam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82192 Nospam Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:14:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82192 Just in case it goes haywire I petitition that they turn it on in the fall. Preferably on a Monday. Just in case it goes haywire I petitition that they turn it on in the fall. Preferably on a Monday.

]]> By: Barton Paul Levenson http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82191 Barton Paul Levenson Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:32:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82191 Chris H posts: <blockquote>“I had a scientist friend who predicted that one day the whole universe would be devoured by black holes…” Then he’s an idiot… Isn’t he?</blockquote> No. Over extremely long periods of time (quadrillions of years), every object in a galaxy tends to wind up in its growing central black hole due to collisions and multi-body effects, and over even longer time scales, the black holes evaporate through Hawking radiation, so that eventually you have a universe consisting entirely of photons. My own belief is that the Second Coming will happen first, but that ain't science. Chris H posts:

“I had a scientist friend who predicted that one day the whole universe would be devoured by black holes…”

Then he’s an idiot… Isn’t he?

No. Over extremely long periods of time (quadrillions of years), every object in a galaxy tends to wind up in its growing central black hole due to collisions and multi-body effects, and over even longer time scales, the black holes evaporate through Hawking radiation, so that eventually you have a universe consisting entirely of photons.

My own belief is that the Second Coming will happen first, but that ain’t science.

]]> By: Gavin Flower http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82190 Gavin Flower Sat, 12 Apr 2008 05:39:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82190 # Christian X Burnhamon said "1) The correct phrase is ‘person on the street’. [...]" Actually 'person' is clearly sexist, obviously you should use 'perchild'! :-) # Christian X Burnhamon

said

“1) The correct phrase is ‘person on the street’.
[...]”

Actually ‘person’ is clearly sexist, obviously you should use ‘perchild’! :-)

]]> By: MandyDax http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82189 MandyDax Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:57:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82189 So, I caught the pilot of <i>The Sarah Jane Adventures</i> tonight. Um, I can't wait for you to comment on what they have poor K-9 doing. PS: Mr.Smith is hot. >_> So, I caught the pilot of The Sarah Jane Adventures tonight. Um, I can’t wait for you to comment on what they have poor K-9 doing.

PS: Mr.Smith is hot. >_>

]]> By: riki http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82188 riki Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:03:35 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82188 It's not a threat because with blackholes at this scale and energy, gravity isn't the dominant force. It’s not a threat because with blackholes at this scale and energy, gravity isn’t the dominant force.

]]> By: quasidog http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82187 quasidog Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:36:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82187 What I find disturbing is smart people being disturbed by what some Christian woman says who is clearly ignorant of certain complicated science issues. She is harmless. Most people have no idea, and don't care what a particle accelerator is, nor a black hole, so naturally when being asked about it, they are going to give ignorant answers, religious or not. What I find disturbing is smart people being disturbed by what some Christian woman says who is clearly ignorant of certain complicated science issues. She is harmless. Most people have no idea, and don’t care what a particle accelerator is, nor a black hole, so naturally when being asked about it, they are going to give ignorant answers, religious or not.

]]> By: KC http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82186 KC Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:23:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82186 I was disturbed by the woman on the stairs who, when asked if she believed the scientists would keep us all safe, said yes. While I'm not particularly worried about the LHC experiment, I am reminded of disastrous flubs in science. In particular is the scientist at Los Alamos in the late 1940s who made a mistake while "tickling the dragon's tail" and tore a pile of radioactive material apart with his bare hands to save the others in the room. Scientists can make mistakes just like everyone else (which is the whole point of repeatable experiments and peer review). Sorry, I don't hand anyone blind trust. Scientists can have their off days and can be subject to the psychology of "group think." When you have scientists in the same field but outside an organization come to the same conclusion (that any nano-black holes will "evaporate," that the world won't turn into a mass of strangelets) then that carries more weight. What the Christian woman was saying isn't quite the way some here have understood it. Go back and listen to her again. The reporter asked "Aren't you worried about the end of the world?" Now, a quick synopsis of Christian belief is that one day this current world will be destroyed and that there will be a new one. Humanity will not cease to exist. The term "Heaven" is commonly used, even though Christian belief ultimately puts humanity on this new earth and not floating in some ethereal realm. Knowing this, the Christian woman's answer isn't that we're all going to die and end up in Heaven, anyway (note that the first part is the attitude of the nihilistic gentleman who said we're all going to die, anyway). Her answer is essentially that since humanity will not cease to exist, then why should a Christian fear the end of this present world? Some will no doubt still find this disturbing. But at least be disturbed by the actual meaning of what she said and not a misinterpretation. And really: A Christian who's faith in God is strong shouldn't fear the incessant clamor of this thing or that thing will result in the destruction of the Earth. I was disturbed by the woman on the stairs who, when asked if she believed the scientists would keep us all safe, said yes. While I’m not particularly worried about the LHC experiment, I am reminded of disastrous flubs in science. In particular is the scientist at Los Alamos in the late 1940s who made a mistake while “tickling the dragon’s tail” and tore a pile of radioactive material apart with his bare hands to save the others in the room. Scientists can make mistakes just like everyone else (which is the whole point of repeatable experiments and peer review). Sorry, I don’t hand anyone blind trust.

Scientists can have their off days and can be subject to the psychology of “group think.” When you have scientists in the same field but outside an organization come to the same conclusion (that any nano-black holes will “evaporate,” that the world won’t turn into a mass of strangelets) then that carries more weight.

What the Christian woman was saying isn’t quite the way some here have understood it. Go back and listen to her again. The reporter asked “Aren’t you worried about the end of the world?”

Now, a quick synopsis of Christian belief is that one day this current world will be destroyed and that there will be a new one. Humanity will not cease to exist. The term “Heaven” is commonly used, even though Christian belief ultimately puts humanity on this new earth and not floating in some ethereal realm.

Knowing this, the Christian woman’s answer isn’t that we’re all going to die and end up in Heaven, anyway (note that the first part is the attitude of the nihilistic gentleman who said we’re all going to die, anyway). Her answer is essentially that since humanity will not cease to exist, then why should a Christian fear the end of this present world?

Some will no doubt still find this disturbing. But at least be disturbed by the actual meaning of what she said and not a misinterpretation. And really: A Christian who’s faith in God is strong shouldn’t fear the incessant clamor of this thing or that thing will result in the destruction of the Earth.

]]> By: Charles http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82185 Charles Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:34:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82185 I believe in Hell. It manifests itself the day after vacation at about 10am. At least it is not eternal. I believe in Hell. It manifests itself the day after vacation at about 10am.

At least it is not eternal.

]]> By: Pieter Kok http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82184 Pieter Kok Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:11:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82184 To be fair to the Christian woman (albeit grudgingly), there is no real difference between her position and my own atheist position that we do not have to worry about the destruction of the world. Only people who believe in hell and suspect they are headed that way have reason to be nervous. To be fair to the Christian woman (albeit grudgingly), there is no real difference between her position and my own atheist position that we do not have to worry about the destruction of the world. Only people who believe in hell and suspect they are headed that way have reason to be nervous.

]]> By: Chris H http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82183 Chris H Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:58:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82183 The science guy was good, yeah. That Christian scared me! That said, I was playing this video with my parents (Jesusphiles) in the room, and they'd never heard of this "LHC scientific idiocy" stuff and are now convinced they are going to die... They think the scientists are utterly irresponsible, but that the Christian woman's faith was an inspiration. Oh well. I had a laugh! ;) "I had a scientist friend who predicted that one day the whole universe would be devoured by black holes..." Then he's an idiot... Isn't he? Not that I care about insulting anyone; Ragnorok is coming, and I have a date with Loki. ~Chris, UK. The science guy was good, yeah. That Christian scared me! That said, I was playing this video with my parents (Jesusphiles) in the room, and they’d never heard of this “LHC scientific idiocy” stuff and are now convinced they are going to die… They think the scientists are utterly irresponsible, but that the Christian woman’s faith was an inspiration.

Oh well. I had a laugh! ;)

“I had a scientist friend who predicted that one day the whole universe would be devoured by black holes…”

Then he’s an idiot… Isn’t he? Not that I care about insulting anyone; Ragnorok is coming, and I have a date with Loki.

~Chris, UK.

]]> By: Kingthorin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/comment-page-1/#comment-82182 Kingthorin Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:51:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/04/11/lhc-and-the-man-on-the-street/#comment-82182 That's a lot of "like" BS around the 1min 20sec mark. That’s a lot of “like” BS around the 1min 20sec mark.

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