Today is the day scientists in Switzerland activate the Large Hadron Collider, the biggest particle accelerator ever built, which will boost two streams of protons moving in opposite directions to just under the speed of light and then smack ’em together. The goal is to re-create the exotic particles that are theorized to have existed right after the Big Bang, increase our understanding of how all this wonderful stuff around us actually works, and maybe even figure out the Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything.
You may have heard some scary talk about this thing creating a black hole that will pulverize the earth and rip a hole in the very fabric of space and time. Reliable sources say this is bull. Personally, I’m hoping that if we do get sucked into a parallel dimension, it’ll be one where I’m taller, cooler, and still have a full head of hair.
Of course, it’s possible we’ve already been pulled into another universe. That would explain so many things that have occurred over the last few years…
[Extra credit to the first Loyal Reader who can identify the image above…]
“The Black Hole”
Ding! We have a winner…
(I’m never sure how obscure some of my pop culture references may be… like the line in Free Enterprise, “for god’s sake, we’re the only ones who even remember Logan’s Run!”)
Dang, I’m too late! I would have been right, too… I loved that terrible, terrible movie…
Hmm, two more obscure references.
“Biggest Collider, EVER!”
“The answer to everything is…… 42”
Jen: I love it, too. Just watched it not too long ago, in fact, and I maintain that it really isn’t all that terrible until the last 15 minutes or so. They obviously had no idea of how to end the thing…
Kisintin: The second one is pretty obvious, but I’m afraid I missed the first…
Simpsons – Comic Book Guy
Duh! (Or should that be “doh!”) How could I not have caught that one? Guess I’ll have to turn in my official geek credentials…