Tom Hanks to Start the Big Bang

Tom Hanks has been selected to flip the switch this summer on the world's largest particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, designed to recreate the dawn of the universe. The Collider malfunctioned last September because of a bad electical connection, casing about $28 million in damage to the machine. While touring the facility in February, Hanks was asked if we would like to take part in the big scientific experiment, and he gladly accepted. But what does a particle smasher have to do with Tom Hanks? It turns out that in Angels & Demons, Hanks's character, Robert Langdon, is on the trail of a plot to destory the Vatican that hinges on antimatter stolen from the Cern, where the Large Hadron Collider is housed. Though it looks scary, there are no giant frickin' laser beams Reports The Telegraph of the device's incredible power, "There is also a possibility of tiny black holes being created in the Collider. Experts insist that if this happens, they will pose no threat." However, if it does create black holes, I think it would put us closer to finding Tom's Bosom Buddies co-star, Peter Scolari.

Comments

[Orinn]

FACT: the LHC is a work of scientific art, just look at that picture.

[Get The Big Picture]

Yeah, but if it doesn't work this time, I hear they're turning it into the Large Hadron Skating Rink.

[Salamander]

The Large Hadron Collider, also known as the DESTROYER OF WORLDS, is the largest particle accelerator ever built by humans. It has not destroyed the world yet. [1] When activated, it will accelerate protons to almost the speed of light, before colliding them at precisely 13.5 billion kerjigatrons. Hailed by some as Earth's own Death Star, the LHC is a milestone in human technology as it is capable of both explaining the universe and blowing it to Hell. http://www.picktorrent.com
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The Collider has been built near Geneva, Switzerland by the Cruddy European Rip-off of NASA (CERN for short), and cost approximately 6.4 billion dollars (or, approximately 848 billion Canadian) to construct. The site was carefully selected because of the Swiss tendency to be neutral about everything, including any possible referendum to stop its construction. Also, particle physicists are well known for their love of great cheeses and chocolates. It is due to be activated in a few month's time, which it will be for the next 4 or 5 years.