The End of the World is Postponed
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No doubt in perusing the news you visually tripped upon the fact that deep underground in Switzerland, an assembled team of insanely mad scientists has embarked upon a project that evil geniuses could only dream of.
They have meticulously planned and executed the construction of a device named the 'Large Hadron Collider' with full knowledge that they are highly likely to be creating black holes in the course of their fiendish experiments.
Fewer things in this life have greater synergy than a good story and widespread ignorance, and let's face it, when it comes to science, the majority of us are as well equipped to understand the issues as a two-year-old trying to work out where babies come from. Indeed there is a continuing crisis within education (hey, everything is a crisis these days) that there is a lack of science teachers in schools and that Universities are witnessing falling admissions for science subjects. Indeed, let yourself take a moment to remember Newton's three laws of motion (What do you mean, "There are three?").
Even Auntie Beeb showed herself to be guilty in reporting the story incorrectly. Amidst a clamour of "End of the World" sensationalism it was conveniently skated over that the switch-on date of of September 10th for the LHC was indeed just that; a switch-on date. No black holes were being created, no other dimensions opened up, no hearty sniggering from evil geniuses.
Keen for a story, journalists made little mention that the scientific team had pointed out that the black holes, should they be created, would be infinitesimally small, short lived and unable to sustain themselves. Include the fact that the experiment has been peer reviewed, subject to the scrutiny of physicists worldwide, and that similar experiments have previously been conducted in the United States and suddenly you have to wonder - can we just focus on the credit crunch now?
The real deal is due to begin in October, when the first experiments begin. So buckle your belts for October.
Except you won't have to just yet.
As part of the testing phase, it has been discovered that one of the 2,000 giant magnets in the experiment has failed and it will take until after Christmas to resolve the situation.
A side of black holes with post-Christmas turkey anyone?
Fewer things in this life have greater synergy than a good story and widespread ignorance, and let's face it, when it comes to science, the majority of us are as well equipped to understand the issues as a two-year-old trying to work out where babies come from. Indeed there is a continuing crisis within education (hey, everything is a crisis these days) that there is a lack of science teachers in schools and that Universities are witnessing falling admissions for science subjects. Indeed, let yourself take a moment to remember Newton's three laws of motion (What do you mean, "There are three?").
Even Auntie Beeb showed herself to be guilty in reporting the story incorrectly. Amidst a clamour of "End of the World" sensationalism it was conveniently skated over that the switch-on date of of September 10th for the LHC was indeed just that; a switch-on date. No black holes were being created, no other dimensions opened up, no hearty sniggering from evil geniuses.
Keen for a story, journalists made little mention that the scientific team had pointed out that the black holes, should they be created, would be infinitesimally small, short lived and unable to sustain themselves. Include the fact that the experiment has been peer reviewed, subject to the scrutiny of physicists worldwide, and that similar experiments have previously been conducted in the United States and suddenly you have to wonder - can we just focus on the credit crunch now?
The real deal is due to begin in October, when the first experiments begin. So buckle your belts for October.
Except you won't have to just yet.
As part of the testing phase, it has been discovered that one of the 2,000 giant magnets in the experiment has failed and it will take until after Christmas to resolve the situation.
A side of black holes with post-Christmas turkey anyone?
Here Is The Writer : Sonny Blue
Sonny Blue has only recently drifted into the financial arena and thought his timing was actually very good, since he thinks it's a great education to see events unfold from within the eye of the storm. Fortunately he's still practicing his guitar playing should the vortex choose to swallow him. Though he supposes guitars are not of much use in a vortex, but at least they're a comfort.
view more articles by Sonny Blue
