Large Hadron Collider (LHC) generates a 'mini-Big Bang'

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11711228

The Large Hadron Collider has successfully created a "mini-Big Bang" by smashing together lead ions instead of protons.

The scientists working at the enormous machine on Franco-Swiss border achieved the unique conditions on 7 November.

The experiment created temperatures a million times hotter than the centre of the Sun.

The LHC is housed in a 27km-long circular tunnel under the French-Swiss border near Geneva.

Up until now, the world's highest-energy particle accelerator - which is run by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern) - has been colliding protons, in a bid to uncover mysteries of the Universe's formation.
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And we are still here :eek:

:whistle:
 
So what are the real world applications of this? At a million times hotter then the Sun, I'm thinking alternative energy source here. Will it be possible to harness the energy?
 
Imagine downsizing this technology! You could start powering all forms of vehicles, towns, space stations lunar stations... I'm assuming the power you get back is alot more than what you put in I'm sure..
 
I've enver seen so many people welcome the end of days with open arms...Repent, the beginning is nigh!
 
Yeah, downsize is the thing, would we still be able to accelerate the particles to the required speed without a 27km run-up? I think we're a few decades from harnessing it as an energy source.
But these doomsayers are just silly.
1) Just because it's new doesn't mean it's going to kill us all. (They had a problem with bicycles too remember? And Nuclear Energy...ok...so Chernobyl screwed that one for all of us...but think of the great fishing you can get with them giant earthworms? See? Silver lining!)

2) I can safely say this, because if I'm wrong and the world ends when it unwittingly plays host to a black hole, it'll be over too quickly for anyone to say, "I told you so."
At best we might get a, "oh sh..."

3)What if (/load geek protocol) we can harness what this teaches us to make LIGHTSABERS (/endof geek protocol)

*sits backs and observes the impending pandemonium*
 
If you want a very brief but interesting little bit on the LHC then have a look for Michio ***u's iTunes U podcast on itunes. He speaks a little bit about what they are hoping to achieve with the LHC (at a time when it was yet to be fully built yet).
 
EnchanterG said:
Yeah, downsize is the thing, would we still be able to accelerate the particles to the required speed without a 27km run-up? I think we're a few decades from harnessing it as an energy source.
But these doomsayers are just silly.
1) Just because it's new doesn't mean it's going to kill us all. (They had a problem with bicycles too remember? And Nuclear Energy...ok...so Chernobyl screwed that one for all of us...but think of the great fishing you can get with them giant earthworms? See? Silver lining!)

2) I can safely say this, because if I'm wrong and the world ends when it unwittingly plays host to a black hole, it'll be over too quickly for anyone to say, "I told you so."
At best we might get a, "oh sh..."

3)What if (/load geek protocol) we can harness what this teaches us to make LIGHTSABERS (/endof geek protocol)

*sits backs and observes the impending pandemonium*
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Liightsabers! We want Lightsabers!!
 
Its all interesting.. but think they are just fronting these positives for more money... IMO
I'd believe it more when we see better results and maybe watch it on Nat. Geo doc show ;)
 
nakedpeanut said:
I'm assuming the power you get back is alot more than what you put in I'm sure..
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i don't think the point of the lhc is to find an alternative nuclear energy source - it's to observe the behaviour of subatomic forces.
i stand to be corrected, but i fail to see how yield can be greater than input.
 
nakedpeanut said:
I'm assuming the power you get back is alot more than what you put in I'm sure..
Click to expand...

Nope, what you put in is what you get out (Law of the Conservation of Energy), most of the time you get less than what you put in (Second Law of thermodynamics). Even if a practical application is never developed it's still awesome as it enhances our understanding of the universe
 
Just in case it wasn't obvious that I was edited out by a bot error - It's Michio Ka-ku ...it's japanese, and not a swearword...lol.
 
So its a mini big bang. Where's my new galaxy? :mad: I WANT MY GALAXY!
One of those key-chain thingy's from MIB will do.
 
murraybiscuit said:
i don't think the point of the lhc is to find an alternative nuclear energy source - it's to observe the behaviour of subatomic forces.
i stand to be corrected, but i fail to see how yield can be greater than input.
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Um, because the yeild energy was a million times hotter then the sun. I don't know where on earth you are going to find a input that can generate energy like that to yeild a reaction equal to itself and be a million times hotter then the sun.
 
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