2008 Woodie Awards
New scientific advances will yield mysterious results
Creel O'Neil
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: OpEd Page
As I have spoken of before, the issue of energy and its sustainability is a prime concern of the American public and the world at-large. Although today's currently understood methods of sustainable energy are tantalizing, they are merely steps necessary to a better source of energy. These sources could provide energy for the time being, but as energy needs continue to grow-because of population expansion and advancement in technology that will require more power-these sources, as they currently stand, will not be able to suit us in the future. What we need is not solar, wind, geothermal or even fusion to power the future of the human race. What we need is a revolution in physics and society.
In May, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is set to go online. Using super-condensed magnets, the largest collider track ever built, and a whole host of extremely advanced systems of measurement, we're going to observe the collision of subatomic particles at a level of energy that has never been achieved. The beauty of all of this is that no one truly knows what's going to happen when we smash these subatomic particles at above 90 percent the speed of light. Not to mention that the LHC is the largest machine every built by humanity. There are speculations abound regarding the possible results of what could be the largest physics endeavor undertaken in our history. Some speculate that we'll continue to find smaller and smaller particles as we continue to smash smaller and smaller particles. Others say we could create a miniature black hole, which is exactly what some are looking for. Still others claim that we could create a large enough black hole to begin consuming the earth or cause an explosion that could wreak unimaginable and irreparable damage upon the planet. There was even a group of Russian mathematicians who suggested that we could open up the door to time travel through this experiment. Though some of these are much farther out than others, one thing is for sure: something interesting will happen.
In May, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is set to go online. Using super-condensed magnets, the largest collider track ever built, and a whole host of extremely advanced systems of measurement, we're going to observe the collision of subatomic particles at a level of energy that has never been achieved. The beauty of all of this is that no one truly knows what's going to happen when we smash these subatomic particles at above 90 percent the speed of light. Not to mention that the LHC is the largest machine every built by humanity. There are speculations abound regarding the possible results of what could be the largest physics endeavor undertaken in our history. Some speculate that we'll continue to find smaller and smaller particles as we continue to smash smaller and smaller particles. Others say we could create a miniature black hole, which is exactly what some are looking for. Still others claim that we could create a large enough black hole to begin consuming the earth or cause an explosion that could wreak unimaginable and irreparable damage upon the planet. There was even a group of Russian mathematicians who suggested that we could open up the door to time travel through this experiment. Though some of these are much farther out than others, one thing is for sure: something interesting will happen.
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