RE: A posthumous memo by Stephen Hawking: towards a super collider in China (or at CERN?)
Well, I think it is rather obvious why many would agree for while a collider of this magnitude could be built in China.
1.- It would decentralize the technology CERN already controls. Making a super power such as China's to also develop this structures, will provide different angles as for how the discoveries can be implemented on. So in my opinion, where it should be built the answer is: in both places.
2.-The fact CERN has better resources and advancements to carry out such a project are a matter of no discussion. However, that's not necesarily a bad thing. Such a huge monster like China is will definately end up encouraging scientists to work for them as they have the money for it.
Hopefully the project ends up bringing humanity interesting advancements (I can't wait to see what the whole black matter issue will end up like).
Thanks for the comment. I kind of disagree with both your points and I will try to clarify why.
1- Such a project is not the product of anyone or any institute, but the results of the joint action of particle physicists from all around the world. The LHC collider experiments involve research from everywhere, including China, for instance. Moreover, the technology developed to build the machine has no patent and therefore belongs to the public domain. In addition, (yes they are more)m the experiments are self-managed by people elected by the experimental community itself. The fraction of CERN people in there is non zero, but very small compared to other countries,
For this reason, CERN does not really 'control' anything. What is right is that CERN runs the accelerator. But we cannot talk about control, again.
As the next collider will be a world project again, that will be driven by the community, there is probably no big difference on the physics side (which is what matters for discoveries, or science).
Having twice the same experiment? This would be a dream, but we are probably not a big enough community for that. Or the funding should increase by a lot.
2- China has the money, this is right. But they can't do it alone. They are missing the resource people who are mostly Europeans and Americans. The cultural shock may be a frontier here. Who knows.
Black matter? Do you mean dark matter, by any chance? :D
Thanks for the answer!
Hahaha Yes, I got lost in translation there, sorry.
It is nice to receive a better explaination on how CERN works from an insider. Forgive me for my assumptions on what CERN would or not control. I just think China has become a country which is decided to lead top projects like this one by themselves (seen from a political view, since of course they'll need as much international scientists as possible).
I think China and their associates want to make a statement to the world, that they are not just an overpopulated rich country with cheap labor and highly industrialized facilities. And if they manage to handle a project such as this one, it will surely be loud.
I am sorry if I dragged the whole matter into such a dark topic like politics (that pun was terrible haha), but that's just why I think there is so much enthusiasm for China nowadays.
I am so thrilled to continue hearing from the turn of events. Please, keep us posted!
This is definitely correct. The question is now whether they will jump on this one or not. Because of all the difficulties attached to it. This is much larger than anything that has been done so far, I think, in terms of numbers of people and countries.
I just hope something will happen, could it be at CERN or in China. I personally don't mind as long as I have money to cover my flights (this is by far not clear for China) to get there :)
We'd better get your steemit posts to produce that much money then haha
Good luck there! If someone like myself can be of any help, just count on it!
I am not sure my steem posts will be of any help here. The necessary amount of money is waaaaay larger (this is why we need many countries together) :)
black matter might end up not being matter. :)
It depends whether it is dark or not ;)