A physicist explains the Hadron Collider in simple terms (more or less)
In an op-ed in yesterday’s New York Times physicist Brian Greene really does lay out a clear and simple explanation of the Large Hadron Collider (“The Origins of the Universe: A Crash Course” Sept 11, 2008). In the article, he answers the questions of how the huge proton smasher came to be, how it works, and what scientists hope to find.
And, yes, he addresses also that doomsday fear some have that the Collider is going to do nothing more than gobble us all up into its own black hole, lock, stock and planet.
Here’s a quote that sets up the article’s scope:
After more than a decade of development and construction, involving thousands of scientists from dozens of countries at a cost of some $8 billion, the “on” switch for the collider was thrown this week. So what we can expect?
See my previous post on the Collider here.
Looking at the funny side of black holes
For a comedic take on some people’s fears about the proton-smashing Hadron Collider project, you can read Gail Collins column today in the New York Times (“Digging Ourselves a Black Hole” Aug 23, 2008).
Specifically some fear that (gulp!) the Collider will create a black hole that will devour the planet, rather than boost the research of particle physics, as its creators predict, according to Collins. So, she writes, she talked to a Brown University physicist, Greg Landsberg, who pooh poohs such fears.
Read the full column here.
