LHC Doomsday Scenarios: Questions & Answers

  • Thread starter hammertime
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Lhc
In summary: It was claimed that a group of scientists working on the hydrogen bomb project had calculated its explosive power and had found that the explosion would result in a mini-black hole that would consume the Earth.
  • #1
hammertime
135
0
I'm not sure how much this has been covered on this board, but I have a few questions regarding the hypothetical doomsday scenarios involving the LHC.

1) I've heard that mini-black holes could be created at LHC, but that they are supposed to evaporate. How can we be sure that they will? Is it because there are numerous mathematical independent derivations of Hawking radiation? Is it because they are virtually demanded to be unstable by the laws of thermodynamics and QM? Is there any difference between the ones created in the lab and the ones created by cosmic rays?

2) Is there any evidence for strange matter in the universe?

3) Is the metastability of the vacuum speculative? Is there any evidence for or against it? People have argued that, because cosmic rays have been colliding for billions of years, they would have already triggered a transition to a true vacuum, and we wouldn't be here. Does this mean that the vacuum is not metastable? Could mankind ever trigger such a disaster, perhaps by making collisions more powerful than those found in nature?

It's just that these scenarios have got me a little worried. Not necessarily because I'm afraid they will happen, but simply because they are possible. Please keep in mind that I know very little about theoretical physics or QM in your response.

Thanks.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
1) I've heard that mini-black holes could be created at LHC, but that they are supposed to evaporate. How can we be sure that they will? Is it because there are numerous mathematical independent derivations of Hawking radiation? Is it because they are virtually demanded to be unstable by the laws of thermodynamics and QM? Is there any difference between the ones created in the lab and the ones created by cosmic rays?

It doesn't matter. Even if Hawking radiation does not happen, the black holes are far too small to be of any threat; they are much much smaller than proton. So they will take very long to eat up the Earth, we would have died of other things like the Sun expanding into red giant or all that.
 
  • #3
1) I've heard HR is incorrect because Hawking's derivation makes some dubious assumptions.

2) I've also heard that there are numerous independent derivations for HR (all of which reach the same conclusion), some experimental evidence for it (in analog models ie acoustic), and that HR is virtually demanded by the laws of thermodynamics.

So which is it? Does it exist or no? Is (1) or (2) correct?
 
  • #4
The argument of (1) doesn't follow logically. Hawking's derivation might be incorrect (it might have incorrect assumptions), but that doesn't make the conclusion wrong. The fact that different derivations lead to the same conclusion suggest that Hawking's conclusion was correct.

To the best of my knowledge (2) is correct.
 
  • #5
Nothing disastrous can possibly happen at LHC. This is because cosmic rays with energies equal to and far larger than LHC particle energies are hitting the Earth's atmosphere all the time, so if any doomsday type thing could happen, it already would have happened.
 
  • #7
The most ancient tale about doomsday is, afaik, the one about Bethe calculation of the (lack of) chain reaction in atmosphere following the explosion of the atomic bomb.
 

1. What is the LHC Doomsday Scenario?

The LHC Doomsday Scenario refers to the fear that the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a particle accelerator located in Switzerland, could potentially create a catastrophic event that could lead to the end of the world. This fear is based on the belief that the high energy collisions within the LHC could create a black hole or a strangelet, which could then grow and consume the Earth.

2. Is there any evidence to support the LHC Doomsday Scenario?

No, there is no scientific evidence to support the LHC Doomsday Scenario. The LHC has been in operation since 2008 and has conducted thousands of experiments without any catastrophic events occurring. Additionally, the energy levels created in the LHC are not powerful enough to create a black hole or strangelet that could pose a threat to Earth.

3. What safety precautions are in place to prevent a catastrophic event at the LHC?

The LHC has numerous safety features in place to prevent any potential catastrophic events. This includes a system that automatically shuts down the accelerator in the event of any abnormal or unsafe conditions, as well as a team of experts constantly monitoring the experiments and equipment. Additionally, the LHC has undergone extensive safety reviews and assessments by independent experts to ensure its safety.

4. Could the LHC be used as a weapon?

No, the LHC is not capable of being used as a weapon. The energy levels and collisions within the LHC are controlled and cannot be directed towards a specific target. Additionally, the energy created in the LHC is too short-lived to be harnessed for any destructive purposes.

5. Are there any potential benefits to the LHC experiments?

Yes, the LHC experiments have the potential to greatly advance our understanding of particle physics and the universe. They can also lead to advancements in technology and medical treatments. The LHC has already contributed to the discovery of the Higgs boson particle, providing valuable insights into the fundamental building blocks of the universe.

Similar threads

  • Beyond the Standard Models
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
7
Views
990
  • Beyond the Standard Models
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • Beyond the Standard Models
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • Beyond the Standard Models
Replies
18
Views
3K
  • Beyond the Standard Models
Replies
10
Views
13K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
20
Views
1K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
8
Views
3K
Back
Top