Well, it was a big bang, sort of
Those of you who read GMSV on the blog site are probably blissfully unaware of the struggles we’ve been having with the formatting of the newsletter version now that we’re using a different mail system. As frustrating as those problems have been, I was reminded anew today what a good thing it is that I’m futzing around with technology that even in the worst case can only blow up a browser window.
Not so lucky were the folks at Fermilab who built the two dozen 20-ton magnets that power a 17-mile-long particle accelerator at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland. The machine, the Large Hadron Collider, aims to recreate the conditions of the Big Bang, about 14 billion years ago, and it was due to start up in November. That schedule went by the boards, however, when during recent testing there was an explosion down in the tunnel that ripped one of those magnets off its moorings, filled the area with helium and sent researchers scurrying (presumbably squeaking orders in urgent, high-pitched voices).
And the problem? Math errors back at Fermilab. An embarrassed Pier Oddone, director of Fermilab, told his staff they had caused “a pratfall on the world stage.” “We are dumbfounded that we missed some very simple balance of forces,” he said. “Not only was it missed in the engineering design but also in the four engineering reviews carried out between 1998 and 2002 before launching the construction of the magnets.” They have my sympathy.
Well, my 9 yo, who missed making the state math competition because of a calculation error in his regional test, thought this was a hoot. His comment - “Cool…at least my error didn’t blow anything up!” He did question how no one rechecked their calculations. (”They even get to use calculators!!”) Perhaps they need to be reminded, as all math students are, to check and then doublecheck all of their calculations?
I’m glad. Some theoretical physicists belive that the new facility could create a black hole that would suck Planet Earth into it. Oops. That would piss a lot of people off.
No Higgs! This is another waste of time and $$$. See the archived article at: http://web.archive.org/web/20031121174446/http://www.nothingmatters.org/
Here’s a what if for you. What if a miscalculation causes some kind of cataclysmic energy buildup that rips Switzerland right off of Europe.
Erm. Fermilab, where the error was made, is in the US. What if, indeed Gazza…