"Big Bang" Experiment Passes Key Tests

Scientists Hope World's Largest Particle Collider Will Help Explain The Makeup Of The Universe

(CBS/AP)  The world's largest particle collider passed its first major tests by firing two beams of protons in opposite directions around a 17-mile underground ring Wednesday in what scientists hope is the next great step to understanding the makeup of the universe.

After a series of trial runs, two white dots flashed on a computer screen at 10:26 a.m. indicating that the protons had traveled clockwise along the full length of the $3.8 billion Large Hadron Collider - described as the biggest physics experiment in history.

"There it is," project leader Lyn Evans said when the beam completed its lap.

Champagne corks popped in labs as far away as Chicago, where contributing and competing scientists watched the proceedings by satellite.

Five hours later, scientists successfully fired a beam counterclockwise.

Physicists around the world now have much greater power to smash the components of atoms together in attempts to learn about their structure.

"Well done, everybody," said Robert Aymar, director-general of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, to cheers from the assembled scientists in the collider's control room at the Swiss-French border.

The organization, known by its French acronym CERN, began firing the protons - a type of subatomic particle - around the tunnel in stages less than an hour earlier, with the first beam injection at 9:35 a.m..

Eventually two beams will be fired at the same time in opposite directions with the aim of recreating conditions a split second after the big bang, which scientists theorize was the massive explosion that created the universe.

"My first thought was relief," said Evans, who has been working on the project since its inception in 1984. "This is a machine of enormous complexity. Things can go wrong at any time. But this morning has been a great start."

He didn't want to set a date, but said that he expected scientists would be able to conduct collisions for their experiments "within a few months."

The collider is designed to push the proton beam close to the speed of light, whizzing 11,000 times a second around the tunnel.

Scientists hope to eventually send two beams of protons through two tubes about the width of fire hoses, speeding through a vacuum that is colder and emptier than outer space. The paths of these beams will cross, and a few protons will collide. The collider's two largest detectors - essentially huge digital cameras weighing thousands of tons - are capable of taking millions of snapshots a second.

The rap version of the LHC's mission has turned into a surprise hit on YouTube (watch here), reports CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer.

The CERN experiments could reveal more about "dark matter," antimatter and possibly hidden dimensions of space and time. It could also find evidence of the hypothetical particle - the Higgs boson - which is sometimes called the "God particle" because it is believed to give mass to all other particles, and thus to matter that makes up the universe.

The supercooled magnets that guide the proton beam heated slightly in the morning's first test, leading to a pause to recool them before trying the opposite direction.

The start of the collider came over the objections of some who feared the collision of protons could eventually imperil the Earth by creating micro-black holes, subatomic versions of collapsed stars whose gravity is so strong they can suck in planets and other stars.

"It's nonsense," said James Gillies, chief spokesman for CERN.

CERN was backed by leading scientists like Britain's Stephen Hawking , who declared the experiments to be absolutely safe.

Gillies told the AP that the most dangerous thing that could happen would be if a beam at full power were to go out of control, and that would only damage the accelerator itself and burrow into the rock around the tunnel.

Nothing of the sort occurred Wednesday, though the accelerator is still probably a year away from full power.

The project organized by the 20 European member nations of CERN has attracted researchers from 80 nations. Some 1,200 are from the United States, an observer country that contributed US$531 million. Japan, another observer, also is a major contributor.

Some scientists have been waiting for 20 years to use the LHC.

The complexity of manufacturing it required groundbreaking advances in the use of supercooled, superconducting equipment. The 2001 start and 2005 completion dates were pushed back by two years each, and the cost of the construction was 25 percent higher than originally budgeted in 1996, Luciano Maiani, who was CERN director-general at the time, told The Associated Press.

Maiani and the other three living former directors-general attended the launch Wednesday.

Smaller colliders have been used for decades to study the makeup of the atom. Less than 100 years ago scientists thought protons and neutrons were the smallest components of an atom's nucleus, but in stages since then experiments have shown they were made of still smaller quarks and gluons and that there were other forces and particles.

[erasmus81]

If God actually exists (and he (it?) might) and the Bible is even remotely true (which it isn''''t), Christians are all going to hell for following other Gods.

Regardless how many excuses they make.

So sayeth the Jewish book of mythology.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 11:59 AM : Sep 13, 2008


tucker, tucker, tucker, you''re such a cutie.


"But, my opinion doesn''''t seem to influence much of anyone."

Posted by tuckerndfw at 12:56 PM : Sep 13, 2008

It influences me. (that''s when you aren''t bullsh*tting me):)


When I was a teenager(not so long ago),we used to do this thing where a bunch of us would get into a circle and one person would whisper a sentence to the next person. They would keep it going around the circle until it came to the last person and then they would say what the sentence was. It was never exactly the same. In fact, sometimes it wasn''t even close to being the same. That is what actually started me questioning the bible. When you get something as old as the bible, something that has been translated and rewritten, it would be impossible for it to be accurate, even if it was true.

[fjklsajfsldfj]

u know whatt u can believe whatever u want but those who believe in nothing will receive nothing in return, meaning have fun with your afterlife of blank and nothingness after ur gone, meanwhile i'll be up in heaven with GOD. Hah

[erasmus81]

"Christians better pray there is no God. Otherwise, they are in deep sh*t." Posted by tuckerndfw at 08:43 PM : Sep 11, 2008

That is very funny, tucker.

[jankebenz]

My atheist bible lesson for today:

Jews in 1st century Jerusalem, tired of waiting for their "savior" (Jews prophesy a Jewish king will appear and rule the world from Jerusalem), began following a God who claimed to be God''''s son.

Which is how Christianity was invented. Disgruntled Jews adopted a God (Jesus-Satan) who told them what they wanted to hear in exchange for their souls.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 08:43 PM : Sep 11, 2008

The New Testament was invented in 325 CE by a pagan Roman Emperor who grafted it onto the Old Testament as a reference book for his brand new universal (catholic means universal in Latin) religion.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 08:27 PM : Sep 11, 2008

The two posts totally contradict each other,all within 15 mins. As exepected! another phoney exposed .
The fool shall be known by his words!

[jankebenz]

Cornelius Tacitus
Tacitus lived from A.D. 55 to A.D. 120. He was a Roman historian and has been described as the greatest historian of Rome, noted for his integrity and moral uprightness. His most famous works are the Annals and the Histories. The Annals relate the historical narrative from Augustus%u2019 death in A.D.14 to Nero%u2019s death in A.D. 68. The Histories begin their narrative after Nero%u2019s death and finish with Domitian%u2019s death in A.D. 96. In his section describing Nero%u2019s decision to blame the fire of Rome on the Christians, Tacitus affirms that the founder of Christianity, a man he calls Chrestus (a common misspelling of Christ, which was Jesus%u2019 surname), was executed by Pilate, the procurator of Judea during the reign of the Roman emperor Tiberias. Tacitus was hostile to Christianity because in the same paragraph he describes Christus%u2019 or Christ%u2019s death, he describes Christianity as a pernicious superstition. It would have therefore been in his interests to declare that Jesus had never existed, but he did not, and perhaps he did not because he could not without betraying the historical record.

[jankebenz]

The New Testament was invented in 325 CE by a pagan Roman Emperor who grafted it onto the Old Testament as a reference book for his brand new universal (catholic means universal in Latin) religion.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 08:27 PM : Sep 11, 2008

Baloney! the new testament was written by eye witness accounts and by the apostal Paul. here''s some roman history.



Is there any historical proof that Jesus existed?
The ancient historical record provides examples of writers, philosophers and historians who lived during or not long after the time Jesus is believed to have lived and who testify to the fact that he was a real person. We will look at what some of these people have said.
continued--

[jankebenz]

Posted by tuckerndfw, one time you say that God exists, the next time you say he does''nt, you say that satan is the son of God, then you say jesus is satan. You keep contradicting yourself but thats par for the course of the decieved. There''s no question of the validity and credibility of the countless archeological and written evidence proving biblical events, unless one stubbornly refuses to accept the obvious. Remember! "the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God". Are you a fool?

[jankebenz]

why does it have to be either 7 day creation or random evolution?? why cant we just say god created evolution?? :-)

Posted by MyNameIs1994 at 07:53 PM : Sep 11, 2008

The central theme of the bible is Jesus, not creation or historical events. Search and find him and the truth will be revealed.

[jankebenz]

Hey can someone whos religious explain these questions:
Why did God create a hell?
Why doesn''''t God provide real evidence for his existence?? Posted by MyNameIs1994 at 07:26 PM : Sep 11, 2008

God did''nt create hell, thats the work of the rebellious angel satan. God created heavan where those who trust and obey will go, those who reject him will join satan in his home.
If God presented himself at times square, the senario would be similar to 2000 years ago, some would believe and follow, and some would scorn and mock.
But someday he will come again ,the whole world will see, for some it will be a joyous occasion and for others that day will be the worst day ever, forever!
Jesus knocks on your door,welcome him in and you will find life.

[mynameis1994]

why does it have to be either 7 day creation or random evolution?? why cant we just say god created evolution?? :-)

[jankebenz]

Oh? there''''''''''''''''s plenty of very credible eviidence, one example is the egyptian chariots and spears found on the bottom of the red sea in a straight line three quarter ways across. One example of credible evidence , but I''''''''''''''''m willing to bet you won''''''''''''''''t convert.
Posted by jankebenz

Really? Who posted this so called credible evidence? This is the first I''''''''ve heard.
Posted by Displeased at 04:57 PM : Sep 11, 2008

It must be real secret. The ancients guard their knowledge and limit access to a select few.

Posted by amrt5016 at 05:45 PM : Sep 11, 2008

No secret, search "red sea chariots found" on the web and see for yourself. Oddly enough the media wants to keep this biblical proof and many other findings secret, would,nt want to change the status quo now would we.

[mynameis1994]

Hey can someone whos religious explain these questions:
Why did God create a hell?
Why doesn''t God provide real evidence for his existence?? (such as a public appearance). and i dont wanna hear that if they dont believe moses then they wont believe God if he came straight to them. (i bet if God showed up in time square and told everyone the truth, even tuckerndfw would convert.
Why did God kill children in the bible?? ( Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
9:7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.)
please explain

[amrt5016]

Oh? there''''''''s plenty of very credible eviidence, one example is the egyptian chariots and spears found on the bottom of the red sea in a straight line three quarter ways across. One example of credible evidence , but I''''''''m willing to bet you won''''''''t convert.
Posted by jankebenz

Really? Who posted this so called credible evidence? This is the first I''''ve heard.
Posted by Displeased at 04:57 PM : Sep 11, 2008

It must be real secret. The ancients guard their knowledge and limit access to a select few.

[amrt5016]

I''m inclined to agree with those who believe the U.S. is losing its leadership in science. We''re still ahead in the number of Nobel Prize winners in science but that''s an achievement of past generations. England gave us evolution and 150 years later we gave the world creationism. That''s telling isn''t it?

[displeased]

Oh? there''''s plenty of very credible eviidence, one example is the egyptian chariots and spears found on the bottom of the red sea in a straight line three quarter ways across. One example of credible evidence , but I''''m willing to bet you won''''t convert.
Posted by jankebenz

Really? Who posted this so called credible evidence? This is the first I''ve heard.

[jankebenz]

Trust me when I tell you that there is no credible evidence to support any of the bible stories, including the Jesus myth.

If there was, I''''d be a Christian. . .

Posted by tuckerndfw at 03:05 AM : Sep 11, 2008

Oh? there''s plenty of very credible eviidence, one example is the egyptian chariots and spears found on the bottom of the red sea in a straight line three quarter ways across. One example of credible evidence , but I''m willing to bet you won''t convert.

[thinkharder-]

Let the world court of public opinion decide if this should continue.

Posted by lostusadream at 05:50 AM : Sep 11, 2008

This is a scientific experiment, not a trend analysis. The general public does not have the tools or the knowhow to intelligently and accurately debate this. And...your son''s professor? Must have been a language professor or some other such teacher far removed from physics, because this experiment is not only safe...it is integral to our understanding of matter. This isn''t something we should be doing...it''s something we have to do.

[displeased]

If there are disputing positions by many then it should be stopped
Posted by lostusadream

Its more like there are disputing assumptions by a few.

[lostusadream]

If there are disputing positions by many then it should be stopped

[lostusadream]

If there are disputing positions by many then it should be stopped

[displeased]

My son is in college and on Wednesday his professor told the class the world would end in 4 months because the this LHC experiment.
Posted by lostusadream

I''m also in college and my physics professor said this "ending of the world" is hype created by a few wild imaginations. Unfortunately, for ratings, the media posts these imaginations in the same announcements of the 1200 or so scientists that have dedicated their professional lives and careers to this project. So who are we supposed to believe?