vega7285
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Orono, Maine
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Well-known as the large hadron collider is in Geneva, particle accelerators overall are a pretty fascinating staple of particle physics. As a physicist, I take a particular interest in them.
They were first invented way back in the 1930's and you're probably familiar with Van de Graaf generators (although people tend to think of things like the LHC nowadays) and the advent of the cyclotron. They speed up charged subatomic particles in a vacuum tube, more or less, using electromagnetic fields. The two main types are the previously mentioned Van de Graaf and the Cockcroft-Walton variety.
The neat thing (or one of the neat things) about them is that they provide insight into the existence of a large number of various other subatomic particles, many of which aren't otherwise readily observable in nature. I've really oversimplified here for the sake of brevity but that's essentially what they do.
Anyway the LHC is going to be the largest particle collider in the world, not to mention the facility's scale and complexity itself. CERN's expected to get it up and running soon. Some of the experiments will involve testing theories related to supersymmetry and the Higgs boson.
I could ramble a bit more about high-energy physics, if there's interest. Looking forward to the LHC coming online in a few years, by the way.
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Braguels
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1/3/2012
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Personally I think the LHC is going to be a big expensive flop. Some people think it's going to make a black hole and destroy the universe but that seems stupid to me. Just seems like a huge waste of money if they don't know exactly what they're looking for.
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Jovian
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Jupiter
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12/19/2015
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The development of the LHC fascinates me, if for no other reason than the scale of the construction is enormous.
I really hope they make some huge discovery once it starts up.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. -- Carl Sagan
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Nitrocosm
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Kokomo, Indiana
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I don't think it's a waste, Braguels. If we discover new fundamental particles, it could lead to some huge advancements in technology.
Pretty neat stuff, anyway. Unfortunately I'm not very well informed in this area of research. For the record, I don't think it's going to create a black hole or destroy the world.
73's, KD8FUD
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vega7285
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Orono, Maine
Posts: 334
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I don't think it's a waste, Braguels. If we discover new fundamental particles, it could lead to some huge advancements in technology.
We don't know exactly where it will lead, but we won't know until we try.
Pretty neat stuff, anyway. Unfortunately I'm not very well informed in this area of research. For the record, I don't think it's going to create a black hole or destroy the world.
Create a black hole? might be a bit silly.
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