OT: CERN Collider...cause for concern?

[Ankesh]

Thanks Sandi for talking about the CERN collider.

When I tried to read about the science behind CERN collider, I couldn't understand much of it. It was way beyond my level.

But this is what I understand:

* CERN collider will help in proving or disproving the grand unified theory. (Something that Einstein spent the later part of his life chasing - unsuccessfully.)

* Some one raised a concern that the collider could lead to black holes on Earth. Which would destroy life.

* But most scientists say that such collissions that the CERN collider plans to make have already been happening in nature since billions of years. Without any creation of black holes.

* Apparently, Earth is bombarded by ultra high cosmic rays every day. And these rays have more energy than the CERN collider.

* Nature hasn't killed us with more energy collission. So we won't kill ourselves with less energy collission.

That was my understanding. But as I said before - I didn't understand everything because the level of science is way beyond me. May be Dien or someone else can help better...

What I do get is - no one in popular media understands it either. But its a good story to scare people. Frankenstinist. So we will see a lot more of it in the news.