The ‘God’ Particle

My alarm clock radio woke me this morning with the news that scientists would today be attempting to re-create conditions at the start of the universe. Hmm, human beings re-enacting the ‘big bang’? Sounds pretty dodgy to me, let’s hope they know what they are doing.  What if they end up with a whole new universe on their hands? Responsible procreation is usually called safe sex. I’m wondering if this is safe science? Apparently detractors have raised concerns that black holes could be created that would swallow us up. How ironic, to meet our end whilst investigating our beginning!

Researching this subject just out of interest I have learnt that a ‘new era in particle physics’ has dawned today in the Large Hadron Collider somewhere near Geneva. In a 17 mile underground tunnel beams of protons have been made to whizz around at incredibly high speeds in opposite directions. When these collide something known as an ‘event’ occurs. The word ‘event’ rather implies a uncertainty about what is actually happening. Anyway they are experiencing these ‘events’ at a rate of 40 per second which is apparently very good.

I should blinking hope so. With a price tag of $10 billion for this project these are pricey events to stage. Obviously finding to the so called ‘God particle’ doesn’t come cheap. This is a particle that will help scientists understand why matter has mass. Forgive my ignorance but it surprises me that we don’t already know why matter has mass. And if we don’t know something so fundamental, then what else don’t we know?

 It reminds me of a joke. Two biologists come to God and announce that they have discovered how life evolved on earth. They announce that they too can now create a human from the dust of the earth.

‘Very good’ said God, ‘why don’t you demonstrate this for me’

‘Okay’ they said ‘First we take the dust….’

‘Oh no, no, no’ said God ‘Go get your own dust!’