Black hole experiments.

Zoink · Post by **Zoink** » 2003-02-20 01:49pm

Scenerio:

Scientists working at the CERN accelerator plan an experiment that will produce a small, microscopic black hole.

They say that the black hole will be very small, and will evaporate in a fraction of a second, via Hawking's Radiation. The amount of energy released will be small and managable. ie They say there is no danger.

Many people cry out that if the theory is wrong, the Earth could be destroyed and say the risks outweigh the benefits.

What do you do?

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-02-20 02:01pm

find the odds and make a bet.

Zoink · Post by **Zoink** » 2003-02-20 02:18pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:find the odds and make a bet.

Whatever the odds, bet all your money on the Earth *not* being destroyed

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2003-02-20 02:20pm

*remembers an episode of LEXX*

Hmm.....this seems oddly familiar...

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-02-20 02:22pm

Zoink wrote:
Enforcer Talen wrote:find the odds and make a bet.
Whatever the odds, bet all your money on the Earth *not* being destroyed

yep ^_^

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-02-20 03:01pm

I remember that some scientists were running an accelerator experiment and some nutcase got wind of it. He began claiming that the experiment was so dangerous that it would create a giant black hole and collapse the universe. Before you knew it, you had crowds of angry protesters outside the lab demanding that the scientists not close the universe.

That's what happens when people know just enough about science to be dangerous.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2003-02-20 03:03pm

Durandal wrote:I remember that some scientists were running an accelerator experiment and some nutcase got wind of it. He began claiming that the experiment was so dangerous that it would create a giant black hole and collapse the universe. Before you knew it, you had crowds of angry protesters outside the lab demanding that the scientists not close the universe.

That's what happens when people know just enough about science to be dangerous.

Kowledge is only dangerous when placed in the hands of idiots.

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-02-20 07:51pm

If the theory is wrong? You're taking a large risk here...

Even a microscopic black hole could do incredible damage.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-02-20 09:04pm

the first nuke was a risk too. whats life without a little excitement?

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-02-20 09:26pm

It was unlikely the first nuke would've destroyed the whole Earth...
I'm pretty sure even a microscopic black hole could do a lot more damage...

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-02-20 09:30pm

Exonerate wrote:It was unlikely the first nuke would've destroyed the whole Earth...
I'm pretty sure even a microscopic black hole could do a lot more damage...

Considering that Hawking radiation has been observed as the mechanism by which black holes decay ...

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-02-20 09:37pm

some thot it would scorch the planet.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-02-20 09:38pm

Would a micro black hole interact with one of the nuclear forces?

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-02-20 09:44pm

How fast would this black hole decay?

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-02-20 11:14pm

A black hole will completely evaporate in the time given by

t = [(c^2)/(3K)]M^3.

(c^2)/(3K) is roughly equal to 4.2E-17. Let's say the black hole masses 1E18 kg. It would completely evaporate in 8.42E37 s, or 2.67E30 years.

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-02-20 11:40pm

Hmm... I Googled the stuff a little, and it seems there is very little chance of the black hole being dangerous. Looks like my concerns were unwarrented

Carry on then

Sektor31 · Post by **Sektor31** » 2003-02-20 11:43pm

I'm for it, but they should do it in a station outside the surface.

Maybe we could research into some black hole power source.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-02-21 12:12am

Life aint worth livin' if you aint doin' anything with it.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-02-21 12:30am

I'd rather the human race go out in a giant suckage than a big nuclear blast. Suckage is more fun.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-02-21 12:34am

Durandal wrote:I'd rather the human race go out in a giant suckage than a big nuclear blast. Suckage is more fun.

And if some of the more wacko theories are correct, we might travel through the event horizon and end up in some new universe or something.

Or we might pull off an Event Horizon (the movie) and wish we had torn the scientists to bits before they had pulled the switch.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-02-21 12:37am

Or we'll just be crushed into point particles.

UltraViolence83 · Post by **UltraViolence83** » 2003-02-22 11:47am

I'd like to know how exactly one makes an articifial black hole. Moreso, what's the point of this experiment?

UltraViolence83 · Post by **UltraViolence83** » 2003-02-22 11:48am

I'd like to know how exactly one makes an articifial black hole. Moreso, what's the point of this experiment?

UltraViolence83 · Post by **UltraViolence83** » 2003-02-22 11:48am

I'd like to know how exactly one makes an articifial black hole. Moreso, what's the point of this experiment?

Post by **AdmiralKanos** » 2003-02-22 12:52pm

Sounds bogus to me. I've never heard of anyone even theorizing about how you would make an artificial black hole on Earth.

Anyway, the point would be obvious: to confirm theories about black holes. The odds of a serious problem would have to be weighed into the decision to perform the experiment, of course.