Comments on: How cool is the LHC? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/ 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, 24 Nov 2009 23:11:06 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John Phillips, FCD http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/comment-page-1/#comment-105031 John Phillips, FCD Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:43:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/#comment-105031 @Brando: plus, at the low temperatures they are working on the magnets need far less current to generate the required magnetic fields. Without very low temperature superconders the amount of current required would be astronomical :) For a brief look at the amount of power they expect to use have a look here: http://lhc-machine-outreach.web.cern.ch/lhc-machine-outreach/faq/lhc-energy-consumption.htm It seems that everything about this experiment is simply mind blowing, a hyper WOW! @Brando: plus, at the low temperatures they are working on the magnets need far less current to generate the required magnetic fields. Without very low temperature superconders the amount of current required would be astronomical :) For a brief look at the amount of power they expect to use have a look here:

http://lhc-machine-outreach.web.cern.ch/lhc-machine-outreach/faq/lhc-energy-consumption.htm

It seems that everything about this experiment is simply mind blowing, a hyper WOW!

]]> By: jopettitt.com » Blog Archive » Monitor Large Hadron Collider’s Magnet Temperatures With Real Time Status Website [Doomsday Watch, Sort Of] http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/comment-page-1/#comment-104869 jopettitt.com » Blog Archive » Monitor Large Hadron Collider’s Magnet Temperatures With Real Time Status Website [Doomsday Watch, Sort Of] Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:26:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/#comment-104869 [...] To do their particle-colliding business, the LHC’s magnets must be kept ultra-cool—close to absolute zero in fact, which is a frosty -459.67 degrees F. And by the looks of it, many of the magnets are near operating temperature already. To keep them that cold, liquid helium is used, which is only liquid at extremely low temperatures. The highest temperature scale on the status website only goes up to 100K (-279.67 degrees F), so we’re not really watching for “meltdowns” in the strictest sense of the word. But if the temperatures start rising to near the top of the scale, you know something is afoot. No doomsday scenarious, but still, feel free to shout out SECTOR 7 ARC MAGNET TEMPERATURES RISING! [LHC Cooldown Status via Bad Astronomy] [...] [...] To do their particle-colliding business, the LHC’s magnets must be kept ultra-cool—close to absolute zero in fact, which is a frosty -459.67 degrees F. And by the looks of it, many of the magnets are near operating temperature already. To keep them that cold, liquid helium is used, which is only liquid at extremely low temperatures. The highest temperature scale on the status website only goes up to 100K (-279.67 degrees F), so we’re not really watching for “meltdowns” in the strictest sense of the word. But if the temperatures start rising to near the top of the scale, you know something is afoot. No doomsday scenarious, but still, feel free to shout out SECTOR 7 ARC MAGNET TEMPERATURES RISING! [LHC Cooldown Status via Bad Astronomy] [...]

]]> By: WTFxUP? » Monitor Large Hadron Collider’s Magnet Temperatures With Real Time Status Website [Doomsday Watch, Sort Of] http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/comment-page-1/#comment-104863 WTFxUP? » Monitor Large Hadron Collider’s Magnet Temperatures With Real Time Status Website [Doomsday Watch, Sort Of] Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:42:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/#comment-104863 [...] To do their particle-colliding business, the LHC’s magnets must be kept ultra-cool—close to absolute zero in fact, which is a frosty -459.67 degrees F. And by the looks of it, many of the magnets are near operating temperature already. To keep them that cold, liquid helium is used, which is only liquid at extremely low temperatures. The highest temperature scale on the status website only goes up to 100K (-279.67 degrees F), so we’re not really watching for “meltdowns” in the strictest sense of the word. But if the temperatures start rising to near the top of the scale, you know something is afoot. No doomsday scenarious, but still, feel free to shout out SECTOR 7 ARC MAGNET TEMPERATURES RISING! [LHC Cooldown Status via Bad Astronomy] [...] [...] To do their particle-colliding business, the LHC’s magnets must be kept ultra-cool—close to absolute zero in fact, which is a frosty -459.67 degrees F. And by the looks of it, many of the magnets are near operating temperature already. To keep them that cold, liquid helium is used, which is only liquid at extremely low temperatures. The highest temperature scale on the status website only goes up to 100K (-279.67 degrees F), so we’re not really watching for “meltdowns” in the strictest sense of the word. But if the temperatures start rising to near the top of the scale, you know something is afoot. No doomsday scenarious, but still, feel free to shout out SECTOR 7 ARC MAGNET TEMPERATURES RISING! [LHC Cooldown Status via Bad Astronomy] [...]

]]> By: Torbjörn Larsson, OM http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/comment-page-1/#comment-104734 Torbjörn Larsson, OM Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:30:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/#comment-104734 <blockquote> I’m no physicist, but this is what I have found. I am sure some someone who reads this blog can explain much better than myself. </blockquote> No, that is essentially correct. The thing is that AFAIU according to current physics there will be no black holes at all, but in some hopeful variants of string theory there might. (So it will be a means of testing it.) So the way to bet your money is AFAIU there will be no black holes. But there will be exciting physics anyway, for example most assuredly detection of Higgs particles (so completing the current standard theory of particle physics with a large missing piece) and perhaps evidence of so called supersymmetry (so pointing to the next, deeper theory that can incorporate gravity). [Disclaimer: I'm no particle physicist either.]

I’m no physicist, but this is what I have found. I am sure some someone who reads this blog can explain much better than myself.

No, that is essentially correct. The thing is that AFAIU according to current physics there will be no black holes at all, but in some hopeful variants of string theory there might. (So it will be a means of testing it.)

So the way to bet your money is AFAIU there will be no black holes. But there will be exciting physics anyway, for example most assuredly detection of Higgs particles (so completing the current standard theory of particle physics with a large missing piece) and perhaps evidence of so called supersymmetry (so pointing to the next, deeper theory that can incorporate gravity).

[Disclaimer: I'm no particle physicist either.]

]]> By: symmetry breaking » Blog Archive » Update: How cold is the LHC right now? What about now? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/comment-page-1/#comment-104623 symmetry breaking » Blog Archive » Update: How cold is the LHC right now? What about now? Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:36:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/#comment-104623 [...] of each of the machine’s eight sectors in real time, or pretty close to it.    Thanks to Bad Astronomy for pointing this [...] [...] of each of the machine’s eight sectors in real time, or pretty close to it.    Thanks to Bad Astronomy for pointing this [...]

]]> By: The Centipede http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/comment-page-1/#comment-104530 The Centipede Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:53:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/#comment-104530 Buckaroo Banzai would approve of the LHC, and he's a scientist <i>and</i> a literal rockster <i>and</i> an international vigilante of justice. Us mere mortals cannot ignore awesome of this magnitude, so therefore the LHC is obviously a brilliantly awesome idea. ;) Buckaroo Banzai would approve of the LHC, and he’s a scientist and a literal rockster and an international vigilante of justice. Us mere mortals cannot ignore awesome of this magnitude, so therefore the LHC is obviously a brilliantly awesome idea. ;)

]]> By: DaveS http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/comment-page-1/#comment-104529 DaveS Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:51:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/07/22/how-cool-is-the-lhc/#comment-104529 Yeah, I know who Brian Cox is--he's the Antichrist, of course, smoothing the public perception of that Large Armageddon Collider. Just kidding, and please believe me this time. Yeah, I know who Brian Cox is–he’s the Antichrist, of course, smoothing the public perception of that Large Armageddon Collider.

Just kidding, and please believe me this time.

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