Comments on: Trouble at the LHC

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:36:11 +0000

“Leak” huh. Sounds like a cover to prevent us from learning the horrifying truth that Aliens are right now battling a group of Special Force troops in the bowels of the LHC.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:12:19 +0000

@DOJ – is that a Contact reference?

By: Shelby

Shelby — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:29:36 +0000

This problem is GREAT news for us here in Batavia, Illinois, home of Fermilab. At least our jobs are safe until Thanksgiving!

By: DOJ

DOJ — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:52:01 +0000

this is why they should’ve built two at twice the cost

By: LV

LV — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:06:57 +0000

I would think the components still went to the lowest bidder.

By: Shish

Shish — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:03:52 +0000

Helium is really difficult stuff to contain, because the molecules are so small they slip through the minutest cracks. “Major” in this case probably means a leak that would have contained air at 100psi for a century, and the amazing thing is they managed to make a structure of that size and complexity function for 10 days before they found one. I once worked in a place that made vacuum chambers, and we tested for leaks by pumping them down, puffing helium on the outside of the casing and seeing if any showed up inside. We didn’t just find leaks in the welds, we found them in the middle of inch-thick stainless steel plates where the rolling process (at the steelworks) had left a molecular-sized crack.

By: sigh

sigh — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:41:31 +0000

LV said “When you build the biggest, most complicated machine in the history of mankind there will be problems.”

But these are supposed to be the smartest scientists in the world. No excuse. Of course, if they didn’t get this little detail right, should we trust their math about black holes? LOL.

Darn. bob stole my joke.

By: LV

LV — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:21:24 +0000

When you build the biggest, most complicated machine in the history of mankind there will be problems.

By: K!P

K!P — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:24:23 +0000

there is no leak. only a black hole sucking the helium

By: Evil Pundit

Evil Pundit — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:53:02 +0000

Only in operation for ten days? Then it’s still under warranty!

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:52:07 +0000

So is “helium leak” CERN’s way of saying “half of the LHC disappeared into a black hole”? Kinda like the equivalent of “weather balloon” when people report UFO’s in the US.

By: b°b

b°b — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:19:04 +0000

A large helium leak… makes me wonder what the person that discovered the leak sounded like.

By: just a guy

just a guy — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:25:28 +0000

If it takes you 2 months to leave, something is wrong with your exit strategy!

Seriously, though, the delay is annoying. I just want them to do the darn collisions so when nothing apocolytic happens, people will be calm again. like when Y2K hit, etc…

Still, though, entropy becomes much more of an antagonist as complexity rises (this is one reason shuttle launches are delayed so often), and the LHC is pretty complex.

By: Al_

Al_ — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:11:22 +0000

Phew! We’ve staved off destruction for another few weeks!

By: StuckeyJ

StuckeyJ — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:07:12 +0000

http://www.cyriak.co.uk/lhc/lhc-webcams.html

Actual LHC footage…

By: mrmuggles

mrmuggles — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 04:48:14 +0000

Well at least we are going to leave for another 2 months! Yay!