I just need to rant.

[lindsay22]

I have been closely following everything at CERN with the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) for quite some time. My friend and I have had many geeky talks on it and he just linked me to this: http://lhc-concern.info/?page_id=28 That makes me want to vomit

Comments

[rokeya]

Interesting...I didn't know much about this project until I read your post. Will have to ask the boy what he knows about it--he's a science geek like you ;)

[morph77]

It amazes me how resistant to change people can be. Either these people are just ignorant (since the odds of this thing destroying the planet are so insanely small) or they're afraid of the insights that the experiments could provide. I agree, I'd rather be taken out by a black hole than a nuclear bomb or the effects of global warming.

[cosmicconfusion]

well there is that theory that we haven't seen any evidence of super-intelligent species because they all kill themselves once their technology becomes advanced enough. ;-)
that video is the nerdiest thing i've seen. ever.

[carlangas4]

I agree with Stephen re: Nerdiness and The Video.

That said, I think it's telling, from a democratic perspective, that folks don't really have a say in whether science gets done or whether some risks outweigh benefits. I don't know shit about science, but the possibility of the Earth being swallowed by a black hole of our making is something we should've been at least hearing a discussion on for some time prior to today. I also think we should've been having a sustained spin-off discussion about 'democracy's role in funding and acquiescence in scientific pursuit. Not necessarily because I think this is a doomsday device, more just because I think it's an important conversation and the one any discussion of this naturally leads to.

What we got from media outlets instead, as usual, was just a juiced up 'yes/no' discussion about the end of the world, God, etc.

[spiritusspatium]

haha! i was just this morning looking at one of the headlines saying something to the effect of "scientists built machine that might kill thousands?" and thought, rad! if i get to die in a black hole i will be SO happy. i cannot begin to tell you how dissapointed i was whenever stephen hawking lost that bet about black holes being "real" because in my head black holes are definitely home to elvis and anti-gravity boots and probably some awesome flavors of ice cream that humans will never be able to fathom. so fuck yes! make a black hole!

but really, i think the media is totally taking advantage of the negative spin rather than promoting what an awesome feat of science and physics these scientists have created. it would be so cool if this got as much media support as something like the olympics.