Big Bang or Large Boom??

I have been waiting patiently for the Large Hadron Collidor (LHC) to be turned on. Finally, as of yesterday, the switched was flipped. For those of you unaware, the LHC is a 17-mile long cylindrical tunnel 300 feet in the Earth below the Franco-Swiss border. The purpose of this atomic racetrack is to smash subatomic particles and observe the results. Scientists from across the globe are hoping to discover new particles as well as answer questions relating to the big bang theory.

I admit I am no scientist but I have to wonder at the safety of such a test. Mind you, I am thrilled at new science and frontiers but I still wonder. One would think that the actual big bang (if true) formulated our entire universe. That is one hell of a bang. So logically, how can we assume that a 17-mile long cylinder no matter how well built will contain the next big bang? Admittedly, this is on a much smaller scale but let’s just say I won’t be buying real estate near Geneva anytime soon.

I am very excited to find out what happens though. So far, they have sent the beam clockwise. Next, the scientists will send the beam counterclockwise. At some point, two beams will be sent in opposite directions. Then we will all be witness to history being made in the new discovery of answers to the big bang or the annihilation of the Franco-Swiss border.

Here is an informative article.