what is the hadron collider really for?

so what is the ultimate end result of the lhc? to recreate the big bang? to find out if the big bang was the beginning? what answers would yield this a success? what is the point?

Scientists gonna science.

I hope you're trolling.

to acquire knowledge.

To be the most IDM thing.

im actually not trolling. i should have prefaced the thread with the fact that im all for it and have no problems at all with what they are doing. im really interested in what info would deem it a success.

how about you read any one of the thousands of articles that have been pulbished on the LHC in the past 5 years and find out?

none of them have watmm's opinion in them.

They want to find the higgs boson, which is like an elemental sub atomic particle. There are already plans on the drawing board for an even bigger smasher, which is probably being built to provide ongoing employment for the grad students of those working at the current facility.

morgan freeman has a show out at the moment which explains why they build the LHC, and what they believe the higgs boson is.

link to show's wiki -- it's probably the 'what are we made of' episode that you want to grab.

  On 11/10/2010 at 2:44 AM, jules said:

none of them have watmm's opinion in them.

aww that's a cute way to say you're lazy.

*jots it down*

It's a reverse-engineered pineal gland.

Source

The LHC experiments

The six experiments at the LHC are all run by international collaborations, bringing together scientists from institutes all over the world. Each experiment is distinct, characterised by its unique particle detector.

The two large experiments, ATLAS and CMS , are based on general-purpose detectors to analyse the myriad of particles produced by the collisions in the accelerator. They are designed to investigate the largest range of physics possible. Having two independently designed detectors is vital for cross-confirmation of any new discoveries made.

Two medium-size experiments, ALICE and LHCb , have specialised detectors for analysing the LHC collisions in relation to specific phenomena.

Two experiments, TOTEMand LHCf, are much smaller in size. They are designed to focus on ‘forward particles’ (protons or heavy ions). These are particles that just brush past each other as the beams collide, rather than meeting head-on

The ATLAS, CMS, ALICE and LHCbdetectors are installed in four huge underground caverns located around the ring of the LHC. The detectors used by the TOTEM experiment are positioned near the CMS detector, whereas those used by LHCf are near the ATLAS detector.

it's basically been a really great promo for the now popular television series "the big bang theory"

the obvious, non-specific thing the hardon collider is for is a greater understanding of physics, by setting up all the various detectors and creating environments that are only producible in the LHC. like the hot soup they just made that is supposed to be what happened for a fraction of a second after the big bang, an environment so hot atoms cannot even form. they can theorize about that shit, but without experimentation and the data from it, they can't know for sure. part of the scientific process is making the experiment reproducible. you can't do that without a very specifically controlled environment.

thanks. i got into a debate this afternoon with a girl at work and she was saying this is such a waste of money and its useless to learn about particle physics, the big bang, etc. well, it took awhile to get there and by then, i couldnt respond anymore because she is smart but was saying moronic things like this. so i figured id ask watmm.

she's not smart, don't say that.

I would leave and never talk to a person again if they said that.

i would instantly blow their brains out on the spot if those words dare emerge from their lips.

  On 11/10/2010 at 4:47 AM, jules said:

thanks. i got into a debate this afternoon with a girl at work and she was saying this is such a waste of money and its useless to learn about particle physics, the big bang, etc. well, it took awhile to get there and by then, i couldnt respond anymore because she is smart but was saying moronic things like this. so i figured id ask watmm.

Tell her its useless for her to live and that she should just kill herself.

  On 11/10/2010 at 4:47 AM, jules said:

thanks. i got into a debate this afternoon with a girl at work and she was saying this is such a waste of money and its useless to learn about particle physics, the big bang, etc. well, it took awhile to get there and by then, i couldnt respond anymore because she is smart but was saying moronic things like this. so i figured id ask watmm.

With her attitude we would probably still just sit in caves and only get fire when lightning strikes somewhere or there is a spontaneous combustion.

LHC is the Windowlicker of science.

Go home.

LHC is actually a huge Scalextric track.

Its main aim is to disprove God and piss off all the christians.