Hadron collider ready for lengthy run

The LHC's Compact Muon Solenoid detector.

(Credit: Maximilien Brice for CERN)

The Large Hadron Collider is about to enter its longest continuous operational period, in preparation for full-strength particle-smashing.

On Wednesday, Steve Myers, the LHC's director for accelerators and technology, blogged that CERN had decided last week to run the giant particle collider for 18 to 24 months at a collision energy of seven tera-electron-volts (TeV)--or 3.5 TeV per beam--with the powering-up phase starting later this month.

After that, the LHC will "go into a long shutdown in which we'll do all the necessary work to allow us to reach the LHC's design collision energy of 14 TeV for the next run," Myers wrote.

Read more of "LHC to run for longest continuous period" at ZDNet UK.

[moordrake]

Fire the frikken "Laser"

[Seaspray0]

They can't. It's not 2012 yet.

[Dalkorian]

Do we *HAVE* to wait?
;)

[nmgolfer]

So that time frame seems to imply that the big bang might happen sometime in 2012... Think about it..

[Mattman704]

This facility needs to be demolished. If there's even a remote possibility that a singularity could be opened up on or near Earth, some things are better left alone.

[Dalkorian]

I say bring it on!

[mike_ekim]

This facility should be shut down, and it's components recycled, because of it's horrible carbon footprint.

[Mr_fleabite]

Carbon footprint and singularities be damned!

INTO THE BREACH!!!!

[DemonDuck000]

Don't worry -- all you have to do is to stick your head in a bucket of ice water when they run it. The ice water will cool your brain below the black hole horizon...

[Copperankh]

A singularity a nanometer in diameter would evaporate in less than a millisecond, absorbing a few stray electrons maybe. And before you reply: No. A black hole that small cannot possibly grow.

The only thing we have to worry about is another horrible movie based off of loose science surrounding the LHC. Bad Ron Howard! Bad!

[Whoshebooboo]

Mattman - death would instant and a helluva ride! Owwwwwwwwwwwww!

[shipcaptain]

We are Borg.
We shall assimilate you.
Resistance is futile.

[Dalkorian]

We are Dyslexic of Borg.
Fusistance is retile.
Your a$$ will be laminated.

[Been_there_Saw_it_before]

See the Geek.com tee shirt:

"Resistance is futile only if less than one ohm."

[Eludium-Q36]

That picture of the solenoid detector looks like the huge Master Machine in "Matrix Revolutions". Uh oh.

[mike_ekim]

Why are they detecting solenoids?

[spoonie1972]

I hope they have a Gordon Freeman on staff, or we're all doomed.

[Copperankh]

So we have to wait another three years for the world to end in a hellish micro-black-hole event? [/sarcasm]

Glad to see they're getting things up and running. Though, all this waiting is a bit much. Hopefully it's all worth it in the end.

[Chris31337]

If this two year period running at seven tera-electron-volts (TeV)--or 3.5 TeV per beam, is not full power, what is? 10 TeV ish? If anyone knows please post.

[Chris31337]

Ignore my last post. I didn't see the last sentence.