Comments on: ‘Anyone who thinks the Large Hadron Collider will destroy the world is a t**t.’ http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html Overcoming Bias is economist Robin Hanson’s blog, on honesty, signaling, disagreement, forecasting, and the far future. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:05:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: MZ http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396759 MZ Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:14:51 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396759 I must admit, I had trouble filling in the word t**t. It wasn't the first word I thought of. It wasn't even among the first ten words I thought of. I honestly had trouble filling it in. To me, twat has a very specific (if very obscene) definition. But really, who throws around a word like that so callously? I guess those of us on "this side of the Atlantic" are just that much more evolved than the Englishmen. But seriously, in my estimation, the chances of the LHC creating a black hole that swallows us all are about 100 orders magnitude HIGHER than the chances that all of the particles in my body will self-annihilate within 10 seconds of my writing this. If I ever post again, I guess I will prove my point. I must admit, I had trouble filling in the word t**t. It wasn’t the first word I thought of. It wasn’t even among the first ten words I thought of. I honestly had trouble filling it in. To me, twat has a very specific (if very obscene) definition. But really, who throws around a word like that so callously? I guess those of us on “this side of the Atlantic” are just that much more evolved than the Englishmen.

But seriously, in my estimation, the chances of the LHC creating a black hole that swallows us all are about 100 orders magnitude HIGHER than the chances that all of the particles in my body will self-annihilate within 10 seconds of my writing this.

If I ever post again, I guess I will prove my point.

]]> By: MarcH http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396758 MarcH Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:05:35 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396758 No. I had thought one was following me, but I turned to get on the freeway and it went straight. No. I had thought one was following me, but I turned to get on the freeway and it went straight.

]]> By: Ben Jones http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396757 Ben Jones Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:43:46 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396757 I had to dodge around six micro black holes on my way to work today. Six! Anyone beat that? I had to dodge around six micro black holes on my way to work today. Six! Anyone beat that?

]]> By: Abigail http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396756 Abigail Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:39:49 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396756 Professor Cox's statement was not a rational communication, but an emotional one. I cannot understand the standard model, or string theory. I saw Professor Cox present a documentary about the LHC last week on TV. His enthusiasm is infectious: the LHC is the place in the World where he most wants to be. He is an attractive man in his thirties, appearing more youthful. I picked up from that documentary that current theories postulate sixteen subatomic particles, and that string theory explains what we know but cannot make predictions which can be tested by observation. Even if I took an undergraduate degree in the relevant discipline, I still might not understand all the issues around whether the LHC might destroy the World. The energy I have to expend to come to my own informed decision is far too great. So I listen to experts, and take them on trust. In this context, Professor Cox's emotional communication communicated to me. I would not insult anyone who tells me that the LHC might destroy the world, but neither would they influence my actions. Professor Cox’s statement was not a rational communication, but an emotional one.

I cannot understand the standard model, or string theory. I saw Professor Cox present a documentary about the LHC last week on TV. His enthusiasm is infectious: the LHC is the place in the World where he most wants to be. He is an attractive man in his thirties, appearing more youthful.

I picked up from that documentary that current theories postulate sixteen subatomic particles, and that string theory explains what we know but cannot make predictions which can be tested by observation.

Even if I took an undergraduate degree in the relevant discipline, I still might not understand all the issues around whether the LHC might destroy the World. The energy I have to expend to come to my own informed decision is far too great. So I listen to experts, and take them on trust.

In this context, Professor Cox’s emotional communication communicated to me. I would not insult anyone who tells me that the LHC might destroy the world, but neither would they influence my actions.

]]> By: MarcH http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396755 MarcH Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:06:18 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396755 There's a slight difference between the hubris of a shipping company and 6000 scientists that want to live (well, lets say 99.99% want to live) As well, the earth and every astronomical body in the solar system are already conducting their own informal LHC style experiments in form of cosmic rays. Super high energy particles being slammed into the surface of the earth every day. Some are at millions of times greater energy than the collisions in the LHC ever will be. There’s a slight difference between the hubris of a shipping company and 6000 scientists that want to live (well, lets say 99.99% want to live)

As well, the earth and every astronomical body in the solar system are already conducting their own informal LHC style experiments in form of cosmic rays.

Super high energy particles being slammed into the surface of the earth every day. Some are at millions of times greater energy than the collisions in the LHC ever will be.

]]> By: Ashlee http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396754 Ashlee Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:29:14 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396754 no one thought the titanic would sink the first time either :) no one thought the titanic would sink the first time either
:)

]]> By: Alexei Turchin http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396753 Alexei Turchin Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:08:05 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396753 On the potential catastrophic risk from metastable quantum-black holes produced at particle colliders http://arxiv.org/abs/0808.1415 This article suggests new view on the LHC risk. In some occasions, if some theories are true the Black hole could be created, and when start to shine by strong Hawking radiation. And in some condition the ammount of the matter it eat and amount of radiation could be equal. This radiation could be 12 megatonn per second , or 1/3 of sun energy which is coming on Earth. It will result on huge explosion on the LHC, but the Earth will not be destroid because soon (in seconds)this BH will receive high velosity and fly from the earth to space. So only France is doomed :( On the potential catastrophic risk from metastable quantum-black holes produced at particle colliders
http://arxiv.org/abs/0808.1415

This article suggests new view on the LHC risk. In some occasions, if some theories are true the Black hole could be created, and when start to shine by strong Hawking radiation. And in some condition the ammount of the matter it eat and amount of radiation could be equal.
This radiation could be 12 megatonn per second
, or 1/3 of sun energy which is coming on Earth. It will result on huge explosion on the LHC, but the Earth will not be destroid because soon (in seconds)this BH will receive high velosity and fly from the earth to space.

So only France is doomed :(

]]> By: votetheday.com http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396752 votetheday.com Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:03:47 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396752 Gosh, it's just a big atom smasher, and the possibility of something dangerous to happen is too small for that something to happen ;) If it would have been real risk, scientists would inform us, or take measures against it, or, after all, never would have thought of taking this idea to reality. So stop worrying, listen to common sense and do not let this rumor by fools take over your mind. http://www.votetheday.com/polls/worlds-largest-particle-accelerator-experiment-214/ Gosh, it’s just a big atom smasher, and the possibility of something dangerous to happen is too small for that something to happen ;) If it would have been real risk, scientists would inform us, or take measures against it, or, after all, never would have thought of taking this idea to reality. So stop worrying, listen to common sense and do not let this rumor by fools take over your mind.
http://www.votetheday.com/polls/worlds-largest-particle-accelerator-experiment-214/

]]> By: josh http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396751 josh Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:28:15 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396751 Ha! I had the same issue Robin did. My guess had been "toot", which was not a very good guess. Ha! I had the same issue Robin did. My guess had been “toot”, which was not a very good guess.

]]> By: Daniel Drucker http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/09/anyone-who-thin.html#comment-396750 Daniel Drucker Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:52:31 +0000 http://prod.ob.trike.com.au/2008/09/anyone-who-thinks-the-large-hadron-collider-will-destroy-the-world-is-a-tt.html#comment-396750 Here is a <a href="http://www.hasthelhcdestroyedtheearth.com/" rel="nofollow">useful site to determine whether the LHC has brought on doomsday</a>. Here is a useful site to determine whether the LHC has brought on doomsday.

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