The Politics of Physics?!?

Yes, the politics of physics.  ::sighs::

This summer, the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) will be turned on.  I've written about it before, but I do need to make a correction (yes, even I make misteaks(see?))

In an earlier posting, I wrote that the LHC should be powerful enough to discover a Higgs Bozon.  I also wrote that ST (String Theory) was the theory that predicted the Higgs. 

I was incorrect.  That's what happens when you're half asleep. :)  The theory that predicts the Higgs Bozon is the Standard Model of Particles and Forces.  And to my readers (and those who pointed it out) I do apologize.

But that's not what I'm writing about ... I'm writing about the people who are trying to get the LHC shut down (permanently) because it COULD create a strangelet. 

A strangelet is a hypothetical particle which COULD (in theory) convert 'normal' matter to 'strange' matter.  Those trying to shut the LHC down are stating that the danger to the Earth is far too grave to allow the accelerator to be turned on. 

But let's look at this objectively.  First, is it POSSIBLE that the LHC COULD create one?  The answer is yes.  It is theoretically possible.

Second, is it possible that the strangelet would last long enough (be stable enough) to convert normal matter into strange matter?  That answer is also yes.  But it's not very likely. 

Why?  Because if they do exist, they're only going to be a few femtometers across (a femtometer is a quadrillionth of a meter)  That's really REALLY small.  Second, although they're theororized to be composed of a roughly equal number of  up, down, and strange quarks, they're not going to be very stable.  The weak nuclear force will see to that, since it is what should govern the interactions at this scale.

As a strangelet grows more stable, it will grow in size by converting normal matter.  Once a strangelet reaches a macroscopic size (a size that you can see with the naked eye) then it would be capable of converting the Earth to strange matter.  (This is the 'ice-nine' hypothesis.)

The question, however, remains.  Is it possible?  Yes.  It's just not very likely.

First, nobody is exactly sure that these particles even exist. 

Second, there is a particle which has already been found that has strange properties.  It's called a Lambda Particle.  It also is composed of an up, down, and strange quark, but it ALWAYS loses its strangeness due to the weak nuclear force.

Third, in order to become stable, the strangelet would have to last for a matter of minutes.  It's THEORIZED that it will last no longer than 10(-43) seconds.  In plain English, it should last 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 seconds.  That's not very long.

But those trying to shut the LHC down permanently are ignoring this inconvenient fact.  Shame on them.  Shame.

Yes, it is POSSIBLE that the LHC could create a strangelet.

No, it's not very likely.  Even if it did, it almost certainly wouldn't last long enough to begin converting matter.

Lastly, the Lambda Particle has already been found.  It too has strange properties.  However, due to the weak nuclear force, it doesn't last long enough to do any harm.

I've had quite enough of politics.  I really have.  Leave politics to the lying, back-stabbing politicians.  It has no place in science.