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Earth 'Safe' From Mammoth Collider: Report

Giant experiment have already occurred naturally, say scientists

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 24, 2008 4:00 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Fears that experiments with a giant particle accelerator could trigger a planetary-wide cataclysm have been dismissed as science fiction by the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The 17-mile-long underground Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland will smash nuclear particles together at super high speeds. Some fear collider experiments could trigger mini black holes—and the destruction of the planet.

 "Over the past billions of years, nature has already generated on Earth as many collisions as about a million LHC experiments—and the planet still exists," said a safety report on the particle accelerator. "There is no basis for any concerns about the consequences of new particles or forms of matter that could possibly be produced."

The magnet core of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator in Geneva, Switzerland.
The magnet core of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator in Geneva, Switzerland.   (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini, file)
Visitors stand in front of the Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator.
Visitors stand in front of the Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator.   (AP Photo/Keystone, Salvatore Di Nolfi)
One of the end caps of the CERN Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator.
One of the end caps of the CERN Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator.   (AP Photo)
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