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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think the CERN scientists might have ASKED us FIRST?

61 replies

BEAUTlFUL · 10/09/2008 11:53

Grr! So the first experiment went OK, no black holes. Another go this afternoon, sending protons round in the opposite direction. And in a couple of weeks, they'll attempt to recreate the Big Bang by sending two beams of protons round in opposite directions to smash into each other at full speed.

Um... Or how about, they don't.

It seems to me this is a bit pointless: it'll either do nothing, or it'll do something massive which might kill everyone.

Did we not have a say? Surely I weouldn't be allowed to set off a nuclear bomb in my caravan "to see what might happen", so how come scientists are allowed to do something that might be incredibly destructive?

I have a shaky grasp on science (it clashed with Art at school), and I am prone to compulsive worrying, but even so. Did I miss a vote? Did the UN send out "Do you think it's OK if boffins try to recreate the Big Bag in real life?" questionnaire and I missed it cos I was Mumsnetting?

AIBU?

OP posts:
Hassled · 10/09/2008 11:57

I can't believe you didn't get the questionnaire. There were loads of threads on MN about it at the time - have you been on holiday? Yes, we all had a form to fill in and we had to provide DNA samples to prove we weren't voting twice. I just don't believe you could possibly have missed all this. Do you not open your post?

pigleto · 10/09/2008 12:02

I think you have been listening to the media. They are winding you up. The vast majority of the boffins don't even think there is a possibility of any danger. The risks are far less than those of a meteorite jumping out from behind jupiter and smashing the planet to smithereens. Don't say that to a journalist though, there will be a front page story about threats from outer space the next day.

I was a bit about the cost of the thing as I like my science practical. But then last night on the radio I found that they had invented the PET scanner while they were at it. I had one of those at Easter so I have forgiven the government for being so profligate with my taxes.

CatIsSleepy · 10/09/2008 12:06

'It seems to me this is a bit pointless: it'll either do nothing, or it'll do something massive which might kill everyone.'

well i agree that would be pointless
not sure that is quite what they're aiming for though:
nothing or total annhihilation
might have been hard to drum up funding for that particular experiment...

Fatbob · 10/09/2008 12:15

is this about the large hardon collier?

i thought that was just about an excited dog

PrimulaVeris · 10/09/2008 12:16

Mumsnet wouldn't exist if it were not for CERN and boffins, dontcha know

World wide web invented by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN

OrmIrian · 10/09/2008 12:18

Ooh I'd have voted! In favour of total annihilation obviously. Might be fun

There is no risk. In the remote chance they make a black hole it will be a very very small one. No need to panic.

LittleMyDancing · 10/09/2008 12:20

Love the idea of recreating the Big Bag - is this a new theory of creation? God hauled us out of his capacious leather handbag?

Fab idea.

trumpetgirl · 10/09/2008 12:25

It would be quite pointless to ask me. I took Physics A level, and do a bit of physics-y stuff in my maths degree (which I hate!) but I have not a clue as to what could or couldn't happen. Little black holes and cosmic rays??
I'm sure the sciencey people have a pretty good idea of what will happen, and wouldn't risk the lives of their families and what-have-you. I think they are best qualified to judge if this is worth while or not, and whether it is dangerous.

Flossish · 10/09/2008 12:27

I'd really like to try and recreate a big bag too!

DaphneMoon · 10/09/2008 12:35

I have to admit I was a little nervous today, I know nothing was going to happen but at the back of my mind it bothered me a bit. Don't quite know what I was expecting!

MorningTownRide · 10/09/2008 12:48

I'm looking forward to meeting some inter - dimensional beings actually.

Unfortunately I rather doubt anything exciting is going to happen.

The thing I love about this though is - they don't really know what is going to happen....

nervousal · 10/09/2008 12:52

Is there really such a thing as a "little" black hole? Don't "little" black holes just keep getting bigger?

Let's face it - if total annihalation (sp?) happens this pm, we won't know anything about it....

solidgoldbrass · 10/09/2008 12:55

Erm, so the scientists should ask the opinion of every moron, superstitious buckethead, daily mail reader and anti-science nutjob? Really? That would put a bit of a dead stop on any kind of life-improving discoveries, wouldn't it?

Fatbob · 10/09/2008 12:56

i'm loving the idiots on the BBC have your say site....

Fatbob · 10/09/2008 12:57

This is my favourite:

Britain 'to fall into recession' - and were searching to find out how the planet was created?!!??????!!!?? Fantastic!
Do you think it is wiser to go forward and not back in time!!!!
Jennie Platt, Birmingham, United Kingdom

She is quite right. Why are we wasting time on this 'science' nonsense when I might not be able to afford a new dock for my iPod this time next year?

LittleMyDancing · 10/09/2008 13:12

Fantastic. Besides which, how would stopping the experiment stop Britain falling into recession? We didn't pay for all of CERN, after all.

Or maybe she thinks the recession is caused by mini black holes?

there's a definitely one operating somewhere near my bank account these days.

DaphneMoon · 10/09/2008 13:40

Fatbob you are so right. I saw on the news today that the UK had given half a billion pounds towards it! How come we never get asked if we want to give half a bloody billion pounds towards something. I wish they would stop saying is it the end of the world, then laughing. My DS was quite worried this morning. Do they ever think about what they are saying.

Fatbob · 10/09/2008 13:45

Sorry now im confused, you either agree with me, or you think it's a silly idea, you cant have it both ways.

beansprout · 10/09/2008 13:48

I love it when people who don't understand science but who have watched too many films, latch onto the mad scientists idea.

Spillage21 · 10/09/2008 14:05

Well if they destroy all the world and known universe at least we'll all go together...and there won't be much mess either, just all compressed into the size of a pea in a sea of anti-matter.

Or something like that.

beansprout · 10/09/2008 14:07

That would appeal to the Fly Ladies I think.

Crunchie · 10/09/2008 14:17

I think it is all really interesting tbh and it wil be completey assive in its impacts.

I didn't realise that the internet was created by CERN, I did know that PET scans, chemotherapy, radiotherapy are all being used NOW to save lives - thats worth ibn of my money any time.

THink about teh space race of the 1960's that was the equivilent then, and what has that given us - Satelite systems, GPS, weather forcasts, mobile phoe technology, wirless communications etc etc.

THAT has directly saved lives, I can't imagine what this project might uncover. It is massively exciting to think that huge advnces are just there within reach.

DaphneMoon · 10/09/2008 14:21

Fatbob did you mean me I thought I was agreeing with you on the cost of it and us being in a recession and all that

cariboo · 10/09/2008 14:22

Blinks sleepily and yawns... did I miss something? CERN 10 mins drive from us. If it blows, we're 1st.

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