A historic day for Physicists all around the world. The first phase of the Big Bang Experiment was completed without any hiccups. It was conducted in a 27km circular tunnel 80m below the ground in Geneva. The instrument used is called the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). which basically is a subatomic particle smasher. The main objective of the experiment is to recreate conditions just after the Big Bang occurred which is widely believed to be how the the Universe came into being in the first place about 13.7 billion years ago. Its being conducted by the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN, and involves over 2000 scientists from around the world.

The experiment essentially involves accelerating beams of subatomic particles through the circular tunnel, guided by more than a thousand cylindrical, supercooled magnets. Two beams of particles will move in opposite directions around the tunnel and at four locations the beams will converge, sending the particles crashing into each other at nearly the speed of light. Particle collisions can create other particles because energy equals mass (as Albert Einstein noted when he introduced the equation E=mc2). Two masses (particles) collide, creating a burst of energy, and then condense into other masses (particles).These  particles have never been seen since the Big Bang occurred. As after the bang the temperature and pressure was trillion times more than it is now, the particles that might have been created then would be highly energized and hence unstable. Scientists now are trying to look for those exotic particles that might have formed after the collision and given rise to matter. These are hence the very fundamental particles of matter.

Continue Reading

Ike is forecast to maintain Category 4 status as it moves across the Southeastern Bahamas and near eastern Cuba. Some further strengthening is possible due to less wind shear and warmer water. This could allow Ike to become a very strong Category 4 or possibly even a Category 5 hurricane before affecting Cuba later.

The fact that Gustav is going to have an impact on the Oil market and Gas prices in US is a given. What we can debate on however is, how much will be the impact.

Available news reports show that oil prices fluctuated sharply when it became known on Thursday that Hurricane Gustav has spun toward the Gulf of Mexico and was gaining strength with every passing hour.

Continue Reading

Hurricane Gustav comes calling right at the heels of Hurrican Fay. And if you think you are sitting somewhere far off from the landfall and cannot be affected by such inclement weather situations, then think again. Hurricane Gustav hit Haiti and ended driving up gasoline prices.

Networks are reporting that Hurricane Gustav struck Haiti and sent global oil prices sky rocketing on fears that it could become even more dangerous than before by the time it reaches Gulf of Mexico.

Continue Reading

With the conventional sources of energy fast depleting, nations are looking for alternative sources to light up their homes and drive their cars. These sources are present literally in the backwards of these countries.

An interesting and very little known source is gas hydrate which is frozen methane gas. It is present in the depths of the oceans around the World. One such area is the Gulf of Mexico where at a depth of 29000 meters one of the largest deposits of gas hydrate has been found.

Usually at such murky depths there are very few living organisms. But in the area in which the gas is found is marked by characteristic evolution of gas bubbles from the faults in the ocean floor and attracts quite a few animals due to rich food reserves.

Holland is one such country where wind power is being harnessed on a large scale from the North Sea for powering homes. Shell has undertaken a huge project to make the first of its kind off shore wind energy harnessing system. Huge wind turbines standing more than 200 feet above the water surface have been installed in the open sea for this purpose. each turbine can support 200 households for a year.

Continue Reading

We are going to track and map the tropical storm Fay until it blows over. Right now, according to the latest sources tropical storm Fay is heading towards Cuba.

Also, severe weather over the Dominican Republic has further strengthened and multiplied its devastating effect, according to US weather forecasts.

To give you an idea about how powerful this storm is, the winds are blowing at the speed of 40 miles an hour. (About 65km/hr)

Continue Reading

Perseid Meteor Shower 2008 is a big event for astronomy geeks and others alike. The next meteor shower is the Perseids  on August 12, 2008. After the first-quarter moon sets, around 2 a.m., meteors should be more easily visible until dawn. You may see dozens of meteors per hour.

Name       Date of Peak            Moon Phase
Perseids      August 12, morning      Sets around 2 a.m.

Some of you might need to brush up on your astronomical terms. Worry not, help is at hand,

Continue Reading

I am starting this thread to track the Chicago Tornado, related news, any warnings and providing maps eventually. This is a potential national emergency.

It all started with a storm which led to the met department issuing warnings in downtown Chicago and eventually the evacuation of fans from the Wrigley field. Surprisingly, I heard nothing about it from the regular news channel so far I have been watching.

Continue Reading

I covered the Minnesota Hawker crash and people started busting my chops over that. The heat over that one is still not over but now I came across another crash and this time its a single engine place that fell into a a house on a foggy Oregon coast.

Two people who were in the place were killed, and two children who happened to be in the house also paid it with their lives. Another child in the house was reported missing.

Unfortunately a family was using the home as a vacation rental. (Turned out quite a vacation for them). One mom and two children were flown to Portland for treatment for burns. Luckily, two people went out for a walk.

About how the accident happened, the weather was misty and clouds slung low. The plane apparently hit a tree and then crashed into the house.

A chartered Raytheon Hawker 800 crashed at a regional airport in Minnesota while trying to land in a thunderstorm killing everybody on board.

One of them survived the fatal landing but died while en route to the hospital.

Continue Reading