"Lawsuits allege it could generate black holes that could eat the Earth"

[iwakar]

Bouncing off this former thread, I came across this interesting (or alarming?) CNN Article.

Excerpt:
"Deep underground on the border between France and Switzerland, the world's largest particle accelerator complex will explore the world on smaller scales than any human invention has explored before. The Large Hadron Collider will look at how the universe formed by analyzing particle collisions. Some have expressed fears that the project could lead to the Earth's demise -- something scientists say will not happen. Still, skeptics have filed suit to try to stop the project."
...
"Fears have emerged that the collider could produce black holes that could suck up anything around them -- including the whole Earth. Such fears prompted legal actions in the U.S. and Europe to halt the operation of the Large Hadron Collider, alleging safety concerns regarding black holes and other phenomena that could theoretically emerge.

Although physicists acknowledge that the collider could, in theory, create small black holes, they say they do not pose any risk. A study released Friday by CERN scientists explains that any black hole created would be tiny, and would not have enough energy to stick around very long before dissolving. Five collider collaborators who did not pen the report independently told CNN there would be no danger from potential black holes."

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So, does anyone here think there is a legitimate concern? I'm not scientifically savvy, but apparently there are major detractors concerning this LHC project that are trying to stop it from happening by filing suit. Reportedly, some of the scientists working on this project have received death threats. However, a number of supporters are pooh-poohing the probability not possibility, might I add that this is of real concern. Anyone care to assure me that I won't have to worry about black holes eating us alive before I go to bed?

Please and thanks.

[EffEmDoubleyou]

All I know is that the LHC is a MUCH cooler way to exterminate ourselves than nuclear war, global warming or a pandemic of STDs.

Okay, well, nuclear war or global warming at least.

[iwakar]

Originally Posted by EffEmDoubleyou

All I know is that the LHC is a MUCH cooler way to exterminate ourselves than nuclear war, global warming or a pandemic of STDs.

Okay, well, nuclear war or global warming at least.

I've always been rather hopeful that the human species would survive its own technological evolution.

[Lateralus]

It's not going to create any black holes that sucks up the Earth. If any microscopic black holes were created (which is a long shot, from what I've read), they'd evaporate almost immediately.

[iwakar]

I've read the same thing, but I'm curious why detractors among the scientific community (not the Church folk enamored of Revelations and the paranoid soccer moms) feel there is a graver threat. Is there some anomaly that's not being mentioned in the CNN article?

[rhinosaur]

In the world of science, "probability" and "possibility" are pretty much synonymous, and we forget that normal people don't usually consider them as such.

[spirilis]

I am not concerned. I vaguely recall an article I read more than a year ago talking about this, where they pointed out a parallel--that scientists back in the 40's were concerned about the detonation of nuclear armament--specifically they were concerned that detonating a nuclear bomb would "set the whole atmosphere on fire," engulfing the earth. That certainly didn't happen.

I fully appreciate the level of detail that's gone into investigating these possibilities though, but I do not believe such a catastrophe will happen.

[iwakar]

So basically... the sum of the fear of the unknown among the scientifically aware and the scientifically unaware are contributing to a paranoid movement involving legal bureaucracy with slim substantiation to arrest this particular instance of scientific discovery? I can accept that.

I just thought there might be an anomaly I was ignorant of regarding this field of science (since I'm largely ignorant of many things in physical science) or complications largely ignored by the CNN writer due to their scientific ignorance.

Oh well. I can sleep soundly now. Gracias amigos.

[iwakar]

Requesting a merge with this thread from an admin.

[Antisocial one]

I think that no one on this frum has the knowledge to explain the entire thing.

From what I know there are chances for major disaster but that is the risk we need to take.

In the universe there are forces that can destroy life on earth just like that and no one is really worried about it. My point is that threat exists since you have been born.