LHC Broken and Shut Down...by a Weasel!
Apr 30, 2016 19:40:30 GMT -5
Post by ShofarSoGood on Apr 30, 2016 19:40:30 GMT -5
LHC, World's Most Powerful Machine, Broken and Shut Down ... by a Weasel!
You just can't make this stuff up. As it turns out, the rumors are true. A small mammal, hypothesized to be a weasel, has taken the LHC offline. After a power outage, investigating engineers found the charred remains of what appeared to be a weasel, though exact classification of the animal's species is yet to be determined conclusively. An official CERN briefing document states the animal may have been a marten. Apparently, the small, furry creature had chewed through a power cable.
Arnaud Marsollier, head of press for CERN, stated "We had electrical problems, and we are pretty sure this was caused by a small animal." At the time of the shutdown, the LHC was attempting to prepare to collect new data on the elusive Higgs Boson particle. It has also been reported that CERN has seen some hints of possible new and undiscovered particles.
Marsollier stated it will take a few days for repairs. Though the repairs themselves will be relatively quick, it could be as much as another week or two before the LHC can be brought fully back online. According to Marsollier, "It may be mid-May."
This isn't the first time an animal has interrupted operations with the LHC at CERN. In 2009, it was believed a bird had dropped a baguette on critical electrical systems. Marsollier is quoted as saying "We are in the countryside, and of course we have wild animals everywhere." These types of problems happen with other particle accelerators as well. In 2006, raccoons were the cause of issues at Fermilab in Illinois.
We will have to wait to see if the extent of the damage is greater than first thought, however it seems the LHC at CERN will be back up and running in no time. After that, who knows what other vicious animals might wage war against this 17 kilometer juggernaut. A mouse? A squirrel? Perhaps the dreaded and vengeful salamander will take a few moments out of his day to exact a last crusade against the metallic beast. At least we humans can finally rest easy knowing God's smallest creatures are well-equipped and ever-vigilant to defend us against the devil's portal-to-hell machine.
Long live the mighty weasel, for the furry forest creatures shall prevail!
link
You just can't make this stuff up. As it turns out, the rumors are true. A small mammal, hypothesized to be a weasel, has taken the LHC offline. After a power outage, investigating engineers found the charred remains of what appeared to be a weasel, though exact classification of the animal's species is yet to be determined conclusively. An official CERN briefing document states the animal may have been a marten. Apparently, the small, furry creature had chewed through a power cable.
Arnaud Marsollier, head of press for CERN, stated "We had electrical problems, and we are pretty sure this was caused by a small animal." At the time of the shutdown, the LHC was attempting to prepare to collect new data on the elusive Higgs Boson particle. It has also been reported that CERN has seen some hints of possible new and undiscovered particles.
Marsollier stated it will take a few days for repairs. Though the repairs themselves will be relatively quick, it could be as much as another week or two before the LHC can be brought fully back online. According to Marsollier, "It may be mid-May."
This isn't the first time an animal has interrupted operations with the LHC at CERN. In 2009, it was believed a bird had dropped a baguette on critical electrical systems. Marsollier is quoted as saying "We are in the countryside, and of course we have wild animals everywhere." These types of problems happen with other particle accelerators as well. In 2006, raccoons were the cause of issues at Fermilab in Illinois.
We will have to wait to see if the extent of the damage is greater than first thought, however it seems the LHC at CERN will be back up and running in no time. After that, who knows what other vicious animals might wage war against this 17 kilometer juggernaut. A mouse? A squirrel? Perhaps the dreaded and vengeful salamander will take a few moments out of his day to exact a last crusade against the metallic beast. At least we humans can finally rest easy knowing God's smallest creatures are well-equipped and ever-vigilant to defend us against the devil's portal-to-hell machine.
Long live the mighty weasel, for the furry forest creatures shall prevail!
link
