20 replies to this topic

[Sakura Blossoms]

Three cheers for science and technology!

http://news.yahoo.co...-news-tech.html

I am so happy and excited about this! I have been watching this experiment since the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) went online in 2010 and have been fascinated with it, and looked forward to having them finally finding the 'mythical God Particle'

Edited by Sakura Blossoms, 02 July 2012 - 11:03 PM.
updated article~

[alexander]

Really? That thing terrifies me, just to think on the slight possibility that this machine can create an stable black hole is umberable. I sure do hope that this risky research is worth of something.

[Strangelove]

That's great, so it is possible for electrons to be on the present day and in the far future as well as the far past at the same time.

[Quinny52]

Well, I can sure as hell can say the Vatican won't be too happy about this. That's one club that's gonna be losing members...
Not that I'm bothered, though. This guy sums up EXACTLY how I feel about 'all that business'.

But on a serious note, I've had a mild interest in this project as well. Lets hope this discovery goes towards finally snuffing out the remnants of that old-fashioned way of thinking, and bring on rationality.

[Verilance]

Lets hope this discovery goes towards finally snuffing out the remnants of that old-fashioned way of thinking, and bring on rationality.

doubtful but a nice hope anyway. The more that is explained the more they resist the explanation, just look what is happening on some of the school boards in the US. It is really scary to me that the elected politicians really want to kill any hope of the American economy recovering by destroying the scientific community there.

North Carolina Scientists can't use the term Sea level Rise but must use recurrent flooding... it is a joke

[CloudMountainJuror]

Interesting.. That's really all I can say.

[Sakura Blossoms]

Really? That thing terrifies me, just to think on the slight possibility that this machine can create an stable black hole is umberable. I sure do hope that this risky research is worth of something.

No worries. It was proven a while back that we can't create black holes that could 'destroy the world'. And in fact, if they ever did manage to create one it would be so microscopic, it would literally collapse in on itself and decay within the same micro-second it was created

http://en.wikipedia....Hadron_Collider

[peanutbutter126]

I have a fascination with news that actually relate to things I learned at school. I remember learning about the Higgs boson in physics last year, so it's very interesting for me. Science is a profound and scary field xD

[tricksie]

North Carolina Scientists can't use the term Sea level Rise but must use recurrent flooding... it is a joke

I apologize for the whole state. All of it. And Jesse Helms too. Sorry 'bout that.

(If it helps, I'm originally from FL. *ahem* But I've also lived in AZ. And Capitol Hill, DC. ... My track record for political idiocracy is getting worse, isn't it? I'll just stop there....)

[James S Cassidy]

Great. One step closer to Mass Relays and Mass Effect drives.

But on a serious note, I've had a mild interest in this project as well. Lets hope this discovery goes towards finally snuffing out the remnants of that old-fashioned way of thinking, and bring on rationality.

Impossible. As long as people have different views there will always be different forms of "rationality." I also think rationality is a pure subjective term and even the most rational man can behave in an irrational way. The most rational way of thinking is to accept all views as equal.

Besides, from the way I see it science only really explains how and never does it really answer the most important question..."why?"

[The Tax-Man]

Meh. It doesn't have a big effect on much of anything. Physics for the past few decades has always assumed it exists, so it just gets rid of doubt and confuses the already confused standard model a tiny bit more.

@James
LOL YES.

Edited by The Tax-Man, 08 July 2012 - 06:33 PM.

[Sakura Blossoms]

Meh. It doesn't have a big effect on much of anything. Physics for the past few decades has always assumed it exists, so it just gets rid of doubt and confuses the already confused standard model a tiny bit more.

Wow. What a completely negative view on one of the biggest discoveries of the last century. How about doing some more research to see just how much 'effect' this discovery will have on future science, technology, and yes even how we regular folks interact with the world. Knowledge is Power. That's how we've gotten to the point we're at now, able to even have this conversation when probably thousands of miles apart.

What Higgs Boson means for us

[The Tax-Man]

Wow. What a completely negative view on one of the biggest discoveries of the last century. How about doing some more research to see just how much 'effect' this discovery will have on future science, technology, and yes even how we regular folks interact with the world. Knowledge is Power. That's how we've gotten to the point we're at now, able to even have this conversation when probably thousands of miles apart.

What Higgs Boson means for us

You don't get my point. I'm saying that the confirmation of what everyone assumed anyway isn't as big a discovery as something completely new. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less. This discovery does nothing. The same obstacles that stopped us last year exist today. The expected discovery of the Higgs Boson will (immediately) only serve to remind governments that they didn't waste money and to shut critics up. For the theoretical physicists that always went as if it always existed (most of them), not very much changes. Now, I realize how much it may mean for people that will finally get proper funding and attention. BUT that's for hype and politics (not directly science), hence my statement.

The article you posted shows an idealized version of science that only exists to make the common man/woman care more. The only 'great' thing that COULD happen is that the current theories are proven wrong with the behaviour of the Higgs. THAT would be something that requires a revolution. Physics would be kicked in the gut if that happened and it would lead to something new. If it all goes as expected (as it just did), nothing in the theory changes and we discover nothing.

In other words, the discovery of the Higgs Boson itself is but a mere stepping stone to its study (which will require bigger machines and more money, if the pattern holds). This announcement doesn't make discovery any easier. It's like saying science leads to knowledge. That's the POINT. It WILL lead to us understanding bigger things or make us start over, but so will everything else we have and will continue to study. My original post may have made it seem like I didn't care. But I do. It's just that I feel the same about this as I have of every big discovery/confirmation in my lifetime.

Edited by The Tax-Man, 08 July 2012 - 07:56 PM.

[Super Boom]

Wow. What a completely negative view on one of the biggest discoveries of the last century. How about doing some more research to see just how much 'effect' this discovery will have on future science, technology, and yes even how we regular folks interact with the world. Knowledge is Power. That's how we've gotten to the point we're at now, able to even have this conversation when probably thousands of miles apart.

It's definitely a huge deal if this turns out to be the actual Higgs Boson (last I checked, results were still pending, although properties seems to be consistent), and it's definitely a step in the right direction in understanding the way our universe works. Like Tax-Man said though, physicists have assumed its existence for decades now, so it's essentially a confirmation of a pre-existing assumption.

It doesn't diminish its significance by any means, but I don't foresee the ramifications of this confirmation being as earth-shaking as the media will probably make it out to be. Heck, a lot of us in the science field find the media hyperbole surrounding the boson a little ridiculous. I suppose labelling it the "God Particle" was a good way to generate interest though.

Besides, from the way I see it science only really explains how and never does it really answer the most important question..."why?"

QFT. I've never understood how so many seem to see science and religion as two entirely opposing viewpoints. I mean, the originator of the Big Bang Theory was actually a Roman Catholic priest for crying out loud.

Edited by Boom...Winning, 08 July 2012 - 08:12 PM.

[Strangelove]

For those of you that don't understand, here is an educational video about the Higgs Boson

[Codus N]

100% confirmed now...

http://news.yahoo.co...-130317830.html

Odds are good these guys are going to win the Nobels next year, along with Higgs himself.

[Sakamaki Izayoi]

100% confirmed now...

http://news.yahoo.co...-130317830.html

Odds are good these guys are going to win the Nobels next year, along with Higgs himself.

that feel when you're born too late from the age of discoveries and too early to participate on the age of space exploration

[alexander]

Oh good, I guess I can give them some praise as long as they don't implode the planet.

[Kamina-Yoshi]

Kind of late, but here are some of our lads discussing the creation of the Large Hadron Collider, also aptly named "The Black Hole Machine".


Kind of NSFW; we Brits don't have censorship at this time-slot, but it's still funny (like, only two curses or something).

Frankie says "kitten" at 1:14 --Click here to view--

[K9ofChaos]

that feel when you're born too late from the age of discoveries and too early to participate on the age of space exploration

I know how much that sucks.


Which is why I at the very least hope that an alien species comes for a visit within my lifetime. Maybe then Humanity can do some reverse engineering or work with the aliens to create FTL drives depending on how they get here if they get here at all.