> > ...and make way for the latest human race-obliterating scientific advance: the Big Bang replicating nuclear accelerator!

> (from the article) "possibility that the colliding particles could achieve such a high density that they would form a mini black hole... The creation of one on Earth could be disastrous."

> do we really NEEEEEEED to recreate the big bang so badly that we take the chance of turning ourselves into a black hole? That would really suck. (pun intended)

This reminds me a lot of David Brin's novel _Earth_, except that I rather doubt we'd be able to come up with the nifty technology to get ourselves out of that fix.

Really, the idea of testing Big Bang conditions is nice, but can't we wait a while and perform the planet-threatening experiments somewhere else? A station on a large asteroid or something, I think I could live with. BUT--well, I suppose I could rant on for a page or ten about humanity's folly and impatience, but I don't think I need to.

Also, I seriously doubt that the device being talked about is anywhere near being capable of creating conditions at the actual (pardon me) "moment of creation", just perhaps somewhat closer in terms of zillions of years than previously achieved.

All that talk about strangelets has me raring to go get out a quantum physics book... almost.

... I wonder if I qualify as strange matter?

~ Kw "When in Rome..." irq

P.S.:
Hallo the Forum!!
I've been reading on hear for a while, just waiting for a fun place to jump in. Seems like a great place, and great people.