Applications of new physics which may be discovered at the LHC

[mrspeedybob]

First off let me say that I am not interested in discussing whether the LHC is a worth while project. I believe human beings are curious by nature and that learning new things to satisfy that curiosity fulfills a human need just as real as any other.

What I am interested in is discussing applications of new physics discovered at the LHC (or other high energy collider) that would effect the average person. If known physics is enough to make predictions at energy levels below 5 Tev then it seems like any technology which would require the new physics to engineer would operate at higher energy levels. I have a hard time imagining commercial applications for 5+ Tev accelerators.

So I guess the essence of my question is "what could possibly be learned at the LHC or similar facility that could be used to solve problems or improve quality of life for a large number of people, excluding the psychological benefit of satisfied curiosity?"

 

[Lsos]

Lots of scientific discoveries had no immediate or obvious commercial applications, so probably the best answer is "we don't know yet".

 

[lightarrow]

So I guess the essence of my question is "what could possibly be learned at the LHC or similar facility that could be used to solve problems or improve quality of life for a large number of people, excluding the psychological benefit of satisfied curiosity?"

I'm not an expert, but maybe they could discover reactions useful to ignite thermonuclear fusion in a reactor, and low-cost energy for all of us.
Or a new, better way to generate and to reveal neutrinos which would open the possibility to make planets or stars "radiographies".
Or hints to elaborate a theory to unify QM and gravitation, which could also have consequences in the everyday life, we don't know (spacetime wormholes who would permit us to explore new planets?). There are many possible useful answers to your questions, but as Lsos wrote, at the moment we can't know for certain.

 

[ModusPwnd]

I presume there are practical engineering advances made simply in the design and construction of such an apparatus.