Just came across this very amusing video via the Bad Astronomer. The Large Hadron Collider is one of those things that could produce some amazing science, but has also caused a number of scientists to express worries that it might destroy the planet. Cool, huh? Most scientists consider that to be doomsaying, and that the LHC will be benign while yielding amazing results. The video ignores any mention of dangers at the LHC (it is, after all, a propaganda piece), but I found it very fun to listen to it for what is not said.
Do I actually think the LHC poses a threat to human life? I have no idea, since I’m not a particle physicist, but my suspicion is that we’ll still be here after it fires up. Imagining the end of the world is one of my favorite mental hobbies, though, so one can always hope.
