Survivor: Universe

This is very cool, the Space Telescope Science Institute, the people who decide what research is done with the Hubble Space Telescope, are holding a public vote on which object to image.
Now that I think about it, they should have called it “Survivor: Universe” and let people vote against objects, ’cause being mean-spirited is way [...]

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The LHC elects Obama

At least according to Steven Colbert. (It starts at minute 2:50)
(I’m still recovering and catching up on work from worrying about and then celebrating the election. Regular blogging to resume shortly.)

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Particle physics in Second Life

As David Harris reports, someone has created a model of ATLAS, one of the 4 detectors at the LHC, in Second Life. Besides just being cool, I love the idea of having something like this as an educational tool. You could run tours, or just let people play around inside. From the video below it [...]

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LHC inauguration

CERN is holding the inauguration party for the LHC today. Jester has the details, and the current rumors for the new start-up date, Sept. 2009.
Update: Here’s an article in Nature about the accident, via The Gauge Connection.
(I’m currently in NY City, so blogging has been very light, and will be until I get home on [...]

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LHC status report

John, at Cosmic Variance, points to the report on the accident at the LHC. He wrote a nice summary, to which I don’t have much to add. Bottom line: it was bad, with up to 29 magnets needing repair, but the damage will be fixed. More serious is that they will likely have to retrofit [...]

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LHC updates

It looks like it will be a bit before we know exactly what happened at the LHC. This weekend is the first time they will be able to enter the tunnel to directly inspect the damage and determine what went wrong. Word is the project director will address an ATLAS meeting next week, so possibly [...]

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LHC suit dismissed. Also: sun rises

As has been discussed ad nauseum, there has been a suit filed in the Hawaii U.S. District court aiming to stop the Large Hadron Collider from starting operation, on the grounds that it might destroy the world. In a development that will shock no one (and I suspect that includes the plaintiffs) that suit has [...]

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Metal-eating bacteria vs. the Tevatron, the next Hollywood blockbuster

I’m currently in San Diego to attend my cousin’s wedding. (It’s going to be held at the Wild Animal Park, so yeah, she’s pretty cool.)
On the plane ride here I was scribbling down some ideas on how to explain Higgs physics (more on that later) when the guy next to me asks, “Are you from [...]

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The Atom Smashers

Recently I attended the opening of The Atom Smashers, a documentary by Clayton Brown and Monica Long Ross from 137 Films. It was held, appropriately, at the Museum of Science and Industry. Unfortunately, this had the effect of providing us with what is probably the smallest screen in the city of Chicago. That can easily [...]

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Newsflash: The LHC won’t find evidence for evolution

It seems that, despite it’s successful test, the Large Hadron Collider won’t find any evidence for evolution. Apparently they haven’t heard about the possibility of producing dragons.
Via Ed Brayton, who points out that that site is the news outlet of the American Family Association, which helps to explain the, shall we say, “intellectual content” in [...]

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