LHC shuts down due to malfunction

[Rightous Fist Of Heaven]

Apologies if this has been posted, couldn't find a thread using search. Just read this off Popular Science.

LHC keels over

So apparently, the entire accelerator will be off-line for a whole year. I guess we'll have to wait a bit longer to see if CERN can find the Higgs-Boson.

[Ryan Thunder]

Apologies if this has been posted, couldn't find a thread using search. Just read this off Popular Science.

LHC keels over

So apparently, the entire accelerator will be off-line for a whole year. I guess we'll have to wait a bit longer to see if CERN can find the Higgs-Boson.

Dammit.

I was looking forward to hearing about the actual experiment itself. I mean, theoretical particle physics may not exactly be my strong point (:P), but I still find it fascinating to read about from time to time.

[Panzer Grenadier]

After all the hype in recent weeks about the LHC. I think this calls for a great big nelson style "HAHA"

Luckily we have been granted a reprieve from death by black hole for another year.

[Kanastrous]

*grumble* damn scientist types gonna destroy the world with their stupid machine...

*grumble* damn scientists are so stoopid they can't even make their destroy-the-world machine work...

[Count Chocula]

I could say they're limp-wristed, Gauloise-smoking Europeans and therefore guaranteed to run over budget and screw up by the numbers, but I won't. Oops, I just did.

Seriously, the collider is on the absolute leading edge of physics and mechanical engineering. The US Vanguard rocket program had 3 successful launches out of 11 attempts. Accidents happen, I'm sure they'll figure it out and get to supercolliding again.

[Jawawithagun]

This ain't Star Trek. Stuff won't always work perfectly on the first try and some repairs need their time.

So faulty wiring is to blame - t'was kinda to expect that some problems like this would creep in. Shame that it happened in that area.

[Kanastrous]

This ain't Star Trek. Stuff won't always work perfectly on the first try and some repairs need their time.

Yes, one of the refreshing things about Star Trek is how they never used malfunctioning technology as a story-moving device...

[madd0ct0r]

Hmm, a tonne of helium leaks in.

where's a mini black hole when you need one?

[Losonti Tokash]

It would amuse me if it was delayed until December 2012, so that the Mayan tinfoil nuts could flip out about it even more than usual.

[Ayrix]

I don't know if I'm the only one, but I'm reminded of that story where scientists make a super experimental device only to have it break down every time they try to activate it.
They later learn that the device, when activated, destroyed the whole universe and only those universes where it breaks down survived.

I can't remember the name of it though.

[A Social Democrat]

Wow, this is somewhat of a setback for science. We won't be achieving technological victory anytime soon. Also I agree with Tokash, that would be mildly amusing.

[Winston Blake]

I would like to imagine that the event at CERN proceeded something like this:

"Sir, I have a malfunction! Critical coolant leak at the time projection chamber!"

"We have to shut down the core! Shut it down now!"

*sirens whine*


I don't think the LHC has a core, but it DOES have a Time Projection Chamber.

[Palantas]

This ain't Star Trek. Stuff won't always work perfectly on the first try and some repairs need their time.

Yes, one of the refreshing things about Star Trek is how they never used malfunctioning technology as a story-moving device...

I think before the Dominion War, "Holodeck malfunction" was the leading cause of death in the Federation.

[DPDarkPrimus]

Gordon fudged up when pushing the supply cart. The Administrator is not pleased.

[Jawawithagun]

Was thinking more of all the times LaForge or Scotty or anybody came up with a last-minute 'jury-rig the main deflector for it' solution to their problem.

[Ryan Thunder]

Was thinking more of all the times LaForge or Scotty or anybody came up with a last-minute 'jury-rig the main deflector for it' solution to their problem.

One could hardly call the Large Hadron Collider 'jury-rigged'...

But I think we see what you meant.

Hopefully it doesn't take them too long to get back to it.

[Shogoki]

This ain't Star Trek. Stuff won't always work perfectly on the first try and some repairs need their time.

Yes, one of the refreshing things about Star Trek is how they never used malfunctioning technology as a story-moving device...

On the other hand, whenever something malfunctions in Star Trek it gets fixed in minutes/hours, and not only that, it performs twice as well or has an entirely new function thanks to the patch job.

[Ryan Thunder]

This ain't Star Trek. Stuff won't always work perfectly on the first try and some repairs need their time.

Yes, one of the refreshing things about Star Trek is how they never used malfunctioning technology as a story-moving device...

On the other hand, whenever something malfunctions in Star Trek it gets fixed in minutes/hours, and not only that, it performs twice as well or has an entirely new function thanks to the patch job.

Wouldn't that imply that their R&D is shit?

[Ender]

Who the hell builds a doomsday device that is disabled this easily? Fucking A man, so much for German engineering.

[loomer]

Well, it's actually more complex than they're admitting.

You see, they turned it on. They ran it.

And then instead of the Higgs-Boson particle or a black hole, out popped Gordon Freeman, who promptly started beating scientists to death with a crowbar.

And, well. They just can't get him out of there.

[Jawawithagun]

Who the hell builds a doomsday device that is disabled this easily? Fucking A man, so much for German engineering.

It's in Switzerland, not Germany. And it's larger than a clock, so it's completely new territory there

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Actually, this collider has substantial American input. The superconducting magnets were tested over at Fermilab. That's where they.. found out that the brace holding the magnet was too weak and collapsed when the magnets were running.

[Kanastrous]

Funny how American testing of European hardware is marked by things collapsing.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Funny how American testing of European hardware is marked by things collapsing.

It was actually based on a scaled up design of the superconducting magnets at Fermilab.

[Adam Reynolds]

Apparently Gorden Freeman was actaully spotted at the LHC as it was opened. See here: +http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/terri ... -collider/