Atom smasher ramps up collisions before year-end

They once thought protons and neutrons were the smallest components of the atom’s nucleus, but the colliders showed that they are made of quarks and gluons and that there are other forces and particles.

Who gets to name these?.

Who gets to name these?

Really, really smart people... I mean VERY smart people...

Really, really smart people... I mean VERY smart people...

Yes you have to be VERY smart to name hem "gluons"

50,000 high-energy proton collisions and still no Earth-destroying black holes as the ill-informed fearmongers predicted? Grrr, ok you win this round "scientists".

majimeaussie

Yes you have to be VERY smart to name hem "gluons"

"In technical terms, gluons are vector gauge bosons that mediate strong color charge interactions of quarks in quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Unlike the electrically neutral photon of quantum electrodynamics (QED), gluons themselves carry color charge and therefore participate in the strong interaction in addition to mediating it, making QCD significantly harder to analyze than QED." - I don't pretend to have written this - it's from Wikipedia..

You have to study particle physics for a few decades to even start judging the meaning of the names they give to particles... but this is just to give you an impression of "how smart" is "VERY smart"

The names have something to do with the particle characteristics, obviously. Hate to nitpick, but a few decades would be more than two decades? Not hardly. If you studied for two years undergrad, it would probably be enough to understand the basics. Add four years of graduate study, and you could be an expert. Not even one decade.

Science is not the language of the gods, people. It takes some work, but it is not impossible stuff. It is like learning Japanese. It seems like magic until you do it. If you made an effort to understand it, I am sure you could do it.

I will comment also that physics has come a long way since the 1970s, but not as far as say, computing or automotive engineering. That is why people are hoping that this project will help physics catch up.

This is exciting stuff. I'm looking forward to some big events next year.

Why is this experiment that defies nature being allowed to continue? We know it is possible that a black hole may be created and the planet swallowed, just so the boffins can get rich and famous! It defies belief!

Dismantle this machine and seel the parts for good use. We should not tamper with nature in this way. Our planet is in peril.

"the creation of the universe... known as the Big Bang"

What was before the Big Bang?

Before the big bang was the big silence...

sharky1: the big nothing

Sarge, before the big bang there were likely other universe(s). Experiments at CERN will deepen the understanding.

DickMorris, Your forename suits you well.

This antimatter is very dangerous if in the wrong hands!

What was before the Big Bang?

The Big Fizz on the Big Dynamite Stick? I blame Wile E Coyote.

Seriously though, I love when people throw out half-assed hypotheses on what happened BEFORE the big bang. Just say you have absolutely no freaking idea. Cos you don't.

This antimatter is very dangerous if in the wrong hands!

Yes, Kim Jong Il could be building an exact replica of the particle accelerator in his underground volcanic lair AS WE SPEAK! Muwahaha!!

Nobody knows what's before the Big Bang because there's no physical evidence left before the Big Bang. People can only speculate depending on what happens in this universe.

"before the Big Bang there were likely other universe(s)"

Where did the other universes come from?

They came from the other big bang...

They came from the other big bang...

At one point, something had to violate the laws of thermodynamics.

Ah the good old "what came before the Big Bang" question. Here's a tip for those asking about it - there's this thing I've heard about called "the internet". Amazing as it sounds, by accessing "the internet" you can find loads of resources to help you answer this or any other question. I'd suggest trying that, but just realized that doing so would require intellectual effort to actually try and understand some very weighty concepts, and that's probably too much to ask. Best stick to the current system of just throwing out rhetorical questions like "What came before the Big Bang?" and make no attempt at learning.

UnaqiDon; many of us are well aware what came before the big bang, although it is not fashionable to hold traditional views. God of course was always there and always will be.

The magnificent universe is wonderfull, but we still do not understand the complex nature of it, thus i believe this collider device is an abomination and a threat to all mankind. Even scientists have stated that there is a possibility of a black hole being created, though they say very slim. However slim, we must not tamper in this manner, we must never threaten our planet in the name of science.

Eventually, mankind will have to learn how to make our own wormholes because that's one way we'll reach the other stars faster than the speed of light. Black holes can be wormholes - we just don't know where/if the other side comes out. (There is also the phenomenon called "white holes" where matter spews out, the opposite of black holes. But no, a-holes is not a scientific term.)

LOTTA physicists commenting on this site, I see. (sarcasm)

Black holes, wormholes and anti-matter, huh?

Alright, I will throw out my loony theory, then. This Atom smasher is going to single handedly throw the Earth's alignment off by five degrees, causing us all to be flung into the cold recesses of space.

Whhoo..science is scary....

On a more serious note, I hope they do find evidence of Higgs-boson, it would validate a lot of theories floating around out there.

On a more serious note, I hope they do find evidence of Higgs-boson, it would validate a lot of theories floating around out there.

Actually I don't. I hope they find something completely unexpected that could revolutionize the physics world like quantum theory did almost 100 years ago. Simply confirming theories is a bit boring no?

UnaqiDon; many of us are well aware what came before the big bang, although it is not fashionable to hold traditional views. God of course was always there and always will be.

No you don't know. You think and believe, but you don't know. As I said before, in reality noone has the faintest idea. I like it like that.

@yokomoc- Evidence of Higgs-boson IS revolutionary!

I like the way you think, though. :)

"there's this thing I've heard abut calling "the internet"... Best stick to the current system of throwing out rhetorical questions like "What came before the Big Bang?" and make no attempt at learning."

I see you haven't found out what came before the Big Bang on the internet - I guess the internet isn't all it's cracked up to be, eh?

"God of course was always there and always will be"

Where did God come from?

I think it's pretty evident that God came from the internet, look him up you'll find him there!

On second note, hurrah for science, hopfully putting another nail in to the coffin of the abomination that is "intelligent design" nice try though...