[ June 21, 2004, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Noemon ]
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Good news. All that MONEY spent on particle accelerators has been justified. Particle physicists have spent years upon years trying to "break the StandardModel" so they could check out "what's under the hood".
[ June 21, 2004, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
was there ever a time that exciting scientific discoveries made any sense whatsoever to the vast majority of the world?
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Not since Og pointed out that Fire was Hot.
Posted by Damien (Member # 5611) on :
What if the vast majority didn't know what fire was, at that point? (which I assume to be the case....)
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
[ June 21, 2004, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Most biology, molecular biology, and materials science I can look at and say, "This might be useful in such and such way at some point in the future."
I have no idea how to react to this. Were the predictions that it decay faster based on formula in the model, or were they based on general observation that heavier particles decay faster? If it was based on formulas, are those formulas based on extrapolation from the decay of other mesons or from some formula much more integral to the theory?
I have no way of judging the significance of this find.
Dagonee
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Lets just say the math is more than a bit complex, and that its based on a theory of how the universe arranges itself. That the universe doesn't arrange itself as predicted is not a wholly unexpected, but still major, discovery.
There is no immediate practical use of this research. Probably won't be for decades, or possibly centuries. But considering the amazing stuff we've gotten out of most previous "purely theoretical" discoveries and advances (you all like your computers, neh? a lot of what makes them possible was "purely theoretical" in its day), I think its safe to say this won't go unused at some point.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Oh, I have no doubt it will be used. I just can't envision how.
Dagonee
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
This particular discovery? Lets see, potential uses . . . the particle might have properties particularly useful for zapping cancer cells, possibly something in computer storage, perhaps it has implications for practical fusion.
Those're just some of the things that research in particle physics often leads to.