Big Bang means Big Bill

"GENEVA (Reuters) - Repairing the giant particle collider built to
simulate the "Big Bang" could cost up to 35 million Swiss francs
($29 million), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
said on Friday.

"Announcing a further delay to the Large Hadron Collider's
resumption, now expected in summer, CERN spokesman James Gillies
said repairs will cost 15 million Swiss francs, and spare parts
would cost another 10-20 million Swiss francs."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081205/sc_nm/us_cern_repair_2

Sounds like the same people who supplied the spare parts for old
BMW's.

Actually, what it sounds like to me is that they ran a bit tight on the budget, and figured it would be politically easier to get the spare parts money after it was too late to stop the project.

LHC webcam

Live webcams at the large hadron collider.

I feel safer now.

They are having the usual startup problems at the LHC, which they hope to work through soon.

I think it would be fascinating if they DIDN'T find the Higgs particle, and had to re-think through the standard model again.

Like much of particle physics, quantum mechanics, cosmology, and the mortality of Schrodinger's cat, the Higgs always seemed somewhere between counter-intuitive, magical and humorous. If it's so big, and gives mass to things, why is it so hard to find? Shouldn't it be everywhere?