CERN denies the LHC could destroy Earth in a "Bose supernova" »
Posted By KentuckyFC 1 year, 2 months ago in Science & TechnologyJust when you thought it was safe to switch on the LHC, another nightmare scenario has emerged that some critics believe could cause the particle accelerator to explode.
The culprit this time is not an Earth-swallowing black hole but a "Bose supernova" in the accelerator's superfluid helium bath. Physicists have been playing with Bose Einstein Condensate or BECs for almost 20 years now.
But in 2001, one group discovered that placing them in a powerful magnetic field could cause the attractive forces between atoms to become repulsive. That caused their BEC to explode in a Bose supernova, which was little more than a novelty when it was no more than a microscopic blob of cold matter.
But superfluid liquid helium is also BEC. And physicists have suddenly remembered that the LHC is swimming in 700,000 litres of the stuff while zapping it by some of the most powerful magnetic fields on the planet.
So is the LHC a Bose supernova waiting to go off? Not according to the CERN theory division which has published its calculations that show the LHC is safe. Gulp!
Read Full Story at arxivblog.com »
26 Views Share Story 1 Comment Report
Other Related Articles:
RSS Join the Discussion
+ Add CommentComments So Far: 1 (view all)
-
Neutral
Mutainia10 months ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It ยป
Why, it's so safe, not even GOD can make it devour the earth. Is that "Nearer My God To Thee" I hear? :)
Reply
More News
Engadget
Nook begins shipping, in select Barnes & Noble stores on December 7th
Sony outs world's first TransferJet chips for short-range wireless transfer
Samurai of Kuroda granted a cybernetic upgrade
ASUS Eee PC 1201HA now on sale in the US
Smartbook AG launches absolutely gaudy $3,000 Swarovski-laden netbook
Science Daily
Scientists explain puzzling lake asymmetry on Saturn's moon Titan
Plasma produces KO cocktail for MRSA
New culprit for viral infections among elderly -- an overactive immune response
Over-the-counter eye drops raise concern over antibiotic resistance
Past regional cold and warm periods linked to natural climate drivers
Add a Comment
Sign In With Your Propeller Account
Please keep your comments relevant to this story.
To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.