Antimatter & Destruction: Particle Physics Plays Central Role in Angels & Demons

Posted: May 21, 2009

Antimatter produced in the ATLAS experiment at CERN annihilates within a fraction of a second.

Antimatter produced in the ATLAS experiment at CERN annihilates within a fraction of a second.

The term “God particle” figures prominently in both Brown’s book and the movie, and Lederman says it may explain what happened to the missing antimatter.

Actor Hanks thinks great things can come from a film that features a place like CERN even if the science is not spot on. "I guarantee that after seeing the movie some kids are going to go into their physics or their science class and ask: is this anything like the particle accelerator in Angels & Demons? And the teachers are going to roll their eyes and say 'yes, in fact it's very much like the particle accelerator in Angels & Demons...'."

U.S. participation in the LHC is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.

—By Leslie Fink/NSF

Useful links:

Interesting

For another perspective I found this interesting:

http://www.getmarriedfirst.com/divinephysics/

Mart of KS @ Jun 01, 2009 00:39:29 AM

Faith and Science

As an Evangelical Christian believer, my life has been primarily engaged in the practice of Medicine and the pursuit of personal interests which more often than not involved the world of science.

Since early life I have found a persistent interest in Astronomy, Physical Science, Chemistry, Embryology, and a dabbling in the physics of sub-atomic particles.

From time to time the questions of origins of intelligent life and of the Universe (Cosmology) arise to challenge the intellect.

The suppositions of Darwin, the agnostic arguments of unbelievers, the liberal attacks against those of faith, and the pervasive bias of the media in matters of personal faith and belief in God--these and more--cannot be dismissed, but can be challenged on the basis of logic and consistency.

The realm of Science concerns itself with observed phenomenon and the demonstration of repeatable observations. It is not a system of philosophical conjectures, theories, or beliefs. The term “Scientific Worldview” is a misnomer.

To me Science deals with true facts.

Religion has an entirely different reference system and involves the "spiritual" aspect of faith and belief. These two realms are in no way contradictory to each other.

When antagonism of one against the other occurs, it may be due to intellectual dishonesty or a failure to consider the rational bases for each system.

Finally, in the case of the movie, Angels and Demons, and the invention of unproven and unknown aspects of “dark matter”. one needs to exercise a little suspended belief to enjoy the movie.

When Science can finally answer the following questions, we may see a little more openness and humility:

How did the Big Bang begin?

How do you explain self-consciousness on the basis of inert matter?

Where does a sense of morality come from?

Why is the human "animal" such a unique creature when compared to all other animals?

Why do we wonder in amazement at the vast panoply of stars and the how? and the why?

How can science claim to understand the workings of complex systems that could not have "arisen" due to the nature of each process depending on prior processes?

Then, I will give you the reasons for my faith.

Roger D Paterson MD of MI @ May 25, 2009 22:29:18 PM

Getting the Science right in Science Fiction

Frankly I think a good yarn, is a good yarn, is a good yarn.

I don't that much care if the science is right but them I am an economist/accountant/actuary.

In my rcent short story "All Father" published as part of a collection I used the concept of a "multi-dimensional black hole existing in all dimensions at the same time.

I'm sure to the scientists that was a load of nonsense but people still seemed to enjoy the story.

The link is:

www.StrategicBookPublishing.com/ScienceFictionandAlternateHistory.html

David Scholes @ May 23, 2009 03:47:18 AM

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