Everything you need to know about the Large Hadron Collider, CERN and the Higgs boson

Fun facts about the LHC

The largest machine in the world: The LHC is 17 miles (27km) in circumference and runs about 100 metres under the surface, spanning the border of France and Switzerland. It's the world's largest particle accelerator. It took 20 years of planning and $10bn to build.

The most powerful supercomputer in the world: The LHC will generate 40,000GB of data each day -- this would fill 20 million CDs a year. To handle this data, tens of thousands of computers located around the world are being connected over the Internet in a distributed computing network called the Grid -- a virtual supercomputer.

The emptiest space in the Solar System: To avoid colliding with gas molecules inside the accelerator, the beams of particles travel in an ultra-high vacuum -- a cavity as empty as interplanetary space. The internal pressure of the LHC is 10-13 atmospheres, ten times less than the pressure on the Moon.

Hotter than the Sun: When two beams of protons collide, they will generate temperatures more than 100,000 times hotter than the core of the Sun, concentrated within a minuscule space.

Colder than outer space: The LHC's 9,300 magnets will be pre-cooled to -193.2°C (80K) using 10,080 tonnes of liquid nitrogen, before they are filled with nearly 60 tonnes of liquid helium to bring them down to -271.3°C (1.9K) -- colder than outer space.

Click 'Continue' below to find out more about CERN.

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Nabuos's avatar

Nabuos 2 August, 2010 06:36

Religion is the worst aberration of thought ever invented; it enslaves the creative powers of man's mind. It makes excuses for our existence and defines nothing to the reality of our existence. All scientific endeavors are premised in a philosophical hypothesis. The very nature of our existence forges us to come to an understanding of that which we do not understand. The methods of physical application offer only a fraction of that understanding. The creative powers of imagination, on the other hand, offer a direct path to that understanding. If you consider yourself as a field of conscious energy, then you can quickly come to the point that life in itself is conscious energy ... this includes every life form in existence. From this perspective, one can hypothesize that the vast inter galactic space is a universal state of consciousness and that the particles that we can observe are the singularity of a unit of energy a packet of information, "knowledge" oscillating at various frequencies, our biological framework are frequency tuners decoding each frequency to manifest based on our former understanding. Engaging the imagination tunes us into these higher apparent invisible frequencies and like that of the polar particles that cause an electrical charge in lightening to strike … the burst of energy released in our minds is the insight of information of that once dormant particle as a singularity is now the understanding that we sought to understand. The mystery of God can now be laid to rest when we understand that it is this universal consciousness that is expressed as the individualization of every life form ... this universal consciousness that is in reality One with all that is … is the mind of God. The point relative to the subject matter is this … the scientist trying to prove a greater understanding of that which they don’t know –would make faster progress in getting to that understanding by holding this perspective as the premise of their endeavor. As it written, “Acknowledge God in all of your affairs and your life will reward a blessing.” The beauty in all of this is that it doesn’t have to cost billions-of dollars to come to the understanding of that which we seek to find. Everything that is to be known is already known within you. Therefore the only worthy endeavor worth exploring is yourself …Socrates said it precisely, “Know thyself.”

Anonymous's avatar

Anonymous 15 August, 2010 02:13

I believe in God.........

However, I implore you [of faith or faith of none] to read. Please do not simply disregard and refuse further read this entry based upon it's entrance. Think about this; for words on one's mind to be forward to yours, tis not this which brings wilt to your integrity. An Author's power to manipulate is only as strong as his readers beliefs are weak and, those of you who are sure of yourselves are the most foolish of us all. I say this because; (be you sure in your religion, sure in your science or sure in any family of such) upon come you a realizeation that [strong] belief were found false, you will "most surely" find a devastating truth in the expectations so great hold you now. You learn that the strongest part of a see-saw is the part at half way and, that to be on either end is to be an absolute. It is easy for a child to mistake such as the high end of a see-saw as an attainable point however he will reach but, in reality we know; no matter how many times he tries to reach that false summit, once you pass half way you're headed back down. Why can't we just learn from this and, stop aiming for the absolute end of every spectrum we come to?

I believe that the path [of least resistance] makes crooked streams accross our land and crooked thoughts accross our minds.

Anonymous's avatar

Anonymous 15 August, 2010 02:15

The mindset of domination is absolute. Regardless of intentions.

I carry a bible in my vehicle. I've never read it. I've only to hear the word within as it is quoted aloud on a Sunday morning.

So what do I think about quantum physics? I think it is an amazing field of study which may lead us out of the technological gridlock in which we seem to be stuck. If it can bring some light upon the things we men find unable to agree upon then it can't be anything but good. If it fails to bring resolution and yields only restitution it still will have been worth the cost because, the end to which our species is bound, be that of a miserable stint in the depths of hell. Unless answers to the dire questions (which have been avoided for too long) are somehow found, our species will die out soon enough as a victim to itself. If not " " " "global warming" " " "tut tut (death by our own sword) then death by the sword of some unseen force. Either way, if we die due to our own pathetic ignorance, our inability to get along and our lack to focus a unified global think tank on the issues of most import then we deserve the pain we are about to endure.

Why do I not trust the word of the bible? Because over the last 2000 years this book was repeatedly used as a lever, by the most wicked of men (Kings, Queens, Ruthless dictators of every manner) and, these men had control, of not only the church but of the bible itself. Many strangely interpretted texts which exist within the bible are obviously rewritten askew of their original meaning. Evil has skewed the truth in every way imagineable. Just like the American government. We started off with the intention to form a more perfect union but by now we've become so complicated and corrupt that it's quite hard to believe anyone who is envolved. On and on.

Anonymous's avatar

Anonymous 15 August, 2010 02:17

Hopefully the Aliens show up here pretty soon. I'm going with. Maybe I won't be forced into O'bamaCare's Socialized Medicine and made to pay for the mistakes of all those who came before me. I can't believe we have paid for the existence welfare all these years which only enabled generations of filth to breed like rats and leave us in a position of absolute dispair. These people don't want to work. If the dollar dies tomorrow, it won't matter to this populace of freeriding ticks and fleas because they have never worked for a damn thing in their life and have nothing to lose. They wait for a hand out or up and are a steadily growing part of the census. What they don't understand, is that socialized government is a proven failure and it will fail miserably when it does. Then on account of that failure, we get invaded by some communist country and, once they're here may very well decide to throw out our trash. They'll make Auschwitz look like a Polish county fair. So good luck folks. I truly hope that never happens but, it's truly the truth wether you want to believe it or not.

So fire up that collider thing and make those discoveries we so desperately need. Everyone with a brain is behind you. The rest are feeding themselves to the wolves or waiting to die somewhere. Godspeed to you sirs.

Konga's avatar

Konga 16 August, 2010 02:54

Thank you anonymous 15 August, 2010 02:17,

You've reaffirmed my faith. If someone with your intelligence is against socialism, it MUST be the right road to take.

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 27 August, 2010 19:26

if the higgs boson is found, will there be a higgs boson diet that will help people to lose mass by giving up higgs bosons--perhaps donating them to cern? Will cern then become heavier and heavier and eventually flatten the alps?

Anonymous's avatar

Anonymous 27 August, 2010 21:39

Great article. Going to skip all of the philosophical and scientific debate - just going to grouse about the fact that every page says "click 'Continue', when in fact the button to continue says "Next" :-)

Anonymous's avatar

Anonymous 30 August, 2010 21:58

The assumption that science and religion are mutually exclusive is silly. Albert Einstein considered science as a means to better understand God, not disprove the existence of God.

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 28 November, 2011 19:46

Genuinely Curious, how is the HIggs boson different from string theory uniformed strings? Is one just theory based and the other have an observation that makes it more scientific. Just an inquiring mind.

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 29 November, 2011 09:08

You are all geeks. And 'god' DOES NOT exist. If u believe in religion you are a fool. That is all.

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 29 November, 2011 10:40

God also created the possibility to become fools, freeloaders, scientists, sinners and atheists. Period.
Ironic, ain't it?

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 29 November, 2011 21:58

lol, the place to continue actually says next...interesting article, but im really glad i didnt skip the philosophical debate, cause reading "Anonymous 27 August, 2010 21:39
Great article. Going to skip all of the philosophical and scientific debate - just going to grouse about the fact that every page says "click 'Continue', when in fact the button to continue says "Next" :-)" made it all the worth while :)

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 30 November, 2011 00:54

Reality check... God didnt create anything... The big bang and evolution did.

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 30 November, 2011 19:00

Religious people say God created the universe....Scientists say the big bang created the universe. Seems like they're both saying the exact same thing. First there was nothing, then there was all of this. Why have a pissing match over it when they're both saying the exact same thing?!

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 30 November, 2011 21:51

Its funny how the big bang theory states that the universe was created in a split second, the snap of a finger. To me, that is one of the biggest signs that God exists at all. Nothing to something in the blink of an eye sounds pretty darn Godly.

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 1 December, 2011 12:40

Religous people have to comment on matters of science because science challenges their faith. It offends them that we would use our curiosity as a tool of understanding rather than stifle it as it rejects the notion that everything is explained by 'god did it'. Maybe god did do it... but at least allow us to use the talents that such a god has given us without coming in to reject or give your "religious minded consent' to our science. Science leaves religion at the door and it has to or it would not exist. Turning these blogs into a religious debate is entirely pointless. I am not decrying anyone for their religion, but I am very tired of the pious coming to the science table. Keep your religious opinion to yourself in these forums as they have no place here and cause a useless regression in the flow of thought and debate. You don't need to justify your faith with science either. Believe or don't, whatever, but it has no place here.

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 1 December, 2011 16:12

If there is a god, why would he be so intolerable of science?! Isn't this what human beings use to understand things to make life easier for us all?! I understood this when I was very young. Death is scary, but is it so scary that we need to heed our minds to the obvious because we don't want to go to hell?! Seriously, sheeple!

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 2 December, 2011 00:25

All well said and great...however science, religion and "civilization" are always going to be missing something if we aren't peaceful within ourselves and to others.

In peace we are one with all things, science, god the kid next door or even a box of crackers.

Come together. Oh yeah and for the scientists; be careful what you create in the hands of humans your minds could be dangerous.

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 2 December, 2011 15:34

The Reality of The Illusion ~corrine switzer~ She explains it all ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 2 December, 2011 16:01

god is not relgiion is not god

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 3 December, 2011 06:58

Im not sure....

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 3 December, 2011 07:01

but if you attack me based on some sense that I am wrong and that I should be squashed out of existence because I dont see eye to eye with you then we shall dance eternally yes?

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 1 January, 2012 11:53

Landing on this page reminded me of how one can end up in the weird section of youtube very quickly, but in a "good" way.

The points made about God and Science are very succinct and combine wisdom and commonsense and avoid the "pulpit" making for a thought provoking read.

Thankyou ;)

anonymous's avatar

anonymous 22 January, 2012 16:24

and jesus said "all things are possible, if we can imagine them ", many people like to knock so called religion, where really they may not really understand it at all. we're all corruptible and unfortunately many churches fall into that category, but you would have to study the messages in a religious faith for yourself before making assumptions, much the same as you would with science.

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