The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is supposed to be up and running sometime after next summer, and should tell us a lot about subatomic energy and particles. One experiment planned, is to examine the nature of gravity by looking for the "graviton' particle. There are a lot of other experiments planned, of course.
What do YOU think will the most exciting???
2006-07-10 04:19:14 · 9 answers · asked by stevenB 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
I have heard of a few research objectives they plan to tackle.
To try and detect an elusive particle known as the Higg's Boson. It is a particle predicted to exist by the Standard Model of physics and is the only one that remains unfound. Among the more interesting properties is that is is thought to grant mass to some particles (for example to protons but not photons).
Another is to tackle the question "why is the universe mostly composed of matter". Mass exists as either matter (everything you are familiar with) and antimatter. The two particles annihilate each other when they collide releasing tremendous amounts of energy. If both were created in equal amounts at the beginning of the universe, all matter should have been destroyed at the get-go. So then, why is most of the known universe composed of matter and not antimatter?
I believe they are also trying to produce a quark-gluon plasma (this has already been at least partially achieved, if I remember right) to prove the existance of gluons. Gluons are the subatomic particles that are thought to hold quarks together to make elementary particles (protons, electrons, neutrons).
To gain some evidence supporting string theory. Even as powerful as the LHC will be, it is thought to be insufficient to reach energies capable of detecting strings (which are on the order of 10^-32 meters).
Interesting fact: the LHC will consume as much energy per day as its neighbor, the city of Geneva .
2006-07-10 04:57:59 · answer #1 · answered by Entropy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We know a whole lot. Look at the Standard Model of physics. It's a triumph of the intellect. The next big discovery might be the Higgs boson, the particle that is believed to be the expression of a field that gives all the other particles their masses. Or the big surprise might be that the Higgs boson isn't discovered by the LHC. That would place the mass of the Higgs particle much higher than everyone expects it to be, which would make people wonder if the Standard Model is wrong. Or the next big discovery might be the nature of dark matter. Actually, that discovery is happening a little at a time. Most candidates have been rejected, and opinion is now leaning toward WIMPS, weakly-interacting massive particles. Some experimenters claim to have discovered WIMPS, while other heatedly dispute that claim. Or the next big discovery might be the nature of dark energy. That discovery would be huge. Or maybe room-temperature superconductors. That would really shake the world. Or maybe the construction of functioning quantum-dot computers. That would be staggering.
2016-03-26 23:41:57 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Detecting a graviton would have amazingly profound implications; as would detection of a Higg's Boson- amazing how something so small can be such a huge topic!!!
God's existence should never be proven, it's counter intuitive to faith, and furthermore by most doctrines god is in everything; so if they haven't found god yet, i'm not sure about the likelihood of finding the supreme being in a large hadron collidor. But who knows, whatever, let's hope they find something... otherwise that's a lot of money on a big magnet...
2006-07-10 07:02:53 · answer #3 · answered by Alex B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps they will discover a super-massive particle by smashing those hydrons which could infact turn out to be the infamous dark matter. The LHC will also answer some questions which will teach us more about the superstrings theory, like if there are other dimensions, etc. I think it's quite an exciting time for science.
PS. I think kenhallonthenet's post should be regarded as abuse. We all find HIS post to be hillarious!
2006-07-10 05:00:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well as the site says it is going to send some nutrinos across the earth to some scientific institute in italy.nutrinos r nutral particles with the mass of an electron
2006-07-10 04:42:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When they finally discover the proof of the existance and nature of GOD.
It will hopefully finally shut all the non-believing scientists and the dogmatic religious fundementalists the hell up!
Science keeps trying to prove God doesn't exist (impossible to prove a negative)
I would find it hillarious to see science prove the existance of GOD and it not be anything that the dogmatic religious nuts think it is!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
2006-07-10 04:26:58 · answer #6 · answered by kenhallonthenet 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just the fact the the LHC is finally going to be up and running is pretty exciting
2006-07-10 04:24:59 · answer #7 · answered by Rajan 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That there is no Higgs boson within the expected energy range.
2006-07-10 05:42:18 · answer #8 · answered by Paul Atreides 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you know maybe they'll discover a cure for cancer and many other deceases...maybe that won't be like super exciting but it'll be something good...i know they aren't doctors in medicine but rather in science but the human body and what-not is also science and so they could still do it...maybe some of them have a doctorate in medicine...who knows...well they do...
2006-07-10 04:32:36 · answer #9 · answered by moo_moo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋