So I heard today that a particle collider is being built! Or rather, that it's been shut down temporarily due to magnetic meltdown.
Labeled the "biggest physics experiment in history" by MSNBC, it's supposed to give insight into the working of subatomic particles. In other words, they're trying to find the "god" particle - a subatomic particle that gives all things their mass. This is supposed to radically restructure our knowledge of the atom.
For those of you who don't know, scientists can't figure out what gives a proton its' mass, which is why they are theorizing about this new particle.
If the above paragraphs mean anything to you, please let me know. Because I have no idea why in the world they have to build a 27-km long particle collider in order to prove the hypothetical existance of some particle. On one hand, I think it's an insane waste of money; on the other, it might provide interesting results. I'd never even heard of a "god" particle before reading the article about the particle collider.
What will happen if they prove it exists? It fits with the theories, after all.
Better yet, what will happen if they prove it doesn't? Will science have to be re-thought? When I first heard about this particle collider, I thought it sounded like something out of a sci-fi flick. After all, smashing two streams of protons together by supercooled magnets ... sounds insane. Or brilliant.
Maybe this will change the course of the world as we know it. Or maybe it'll have no bearing whatsoever. Or maybe I don't know what I'm talking about ... which is more than likely. Anyway, it's pretty cool, isn't it?
2 comments:
Yup, I've heard of this. I couldn't wrap my mind around how HUGE this whole thing is. I think it has to do with mans constant desire to outdo himself. Splitting atoms isn't enough. We have to FIND the ULTIMATE particle! Let's hope they don't destroy the planet in the process, yea?
No kidding! It's actually been hypothesized that if this screws up it could release enough energy to wipe out everyone on Earth.
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