As mentioned in the previous post, CERN is in the process of building a Large Hadron Collider which is a particle accelerator intended to test Stephen Hawking's theories and possibly create small black holes on Earth in the 16 mile long network of underwater pipes.

Legal action in the form of lawsuits have been brought involving the US Department of Energy, The National Science Foundation, and CERN to prevent the use of the Large Hadron Collider until its safety has been reassessed. It should be easy to imagine the potential devastation which would occur should a black hole be created and handled incorrectly.

Scientists explain possible scenarios which could threaten the stability of the Earth, hence giving the name ''Doomsday Lawsuit'' to this legal action. The singularity of the created black holes are the main cause of the apocalyptic association with CERN's experiment, while Strangelets are another problem. Strangelets convert other matter into Strangelets when they contact with atoms, which would cause a serious chain reaction. Another similar possibility is the creation of magnetic monopoles which also convert matter.

On April 6th, CERN will allow the public to visit the Particle Accelerator.

This will allow the targeting of questions raised regarding the procedure and perhaps enable the public to see why taking such a risk (if there is one) is important in testing the latest theories of physics.

Alex Kara