A $9 Billion Experiment Revealing 3 Ways to Save the World

The Hadron Collider is a 15 year old, $9 billion science project intended to speed up matter to 99.9999 times the speed of light and then create collisions of subatomic particles. The hope is to find new kinds of matter and unfurl hidden dimensions of reality. The problem: it doesn’t work. Upon initial use, a massive electrical shortage caused major damage to the Hadron Collider. It will only operate at half power when it comes back to life later this year. No one can be certain that it will fulfill its objectives.

I read a fascinating comparison* of the Hadron Collider to the Mayan pyramid Xunantunich, which, during the time of its creation (AD 500-AD 800), was as impressive and gigantic to the Mayans as the Collider is to modern humans. The Mayans vanished and left Xunantunich as a ruin in the jungle. If the Hadron Collider continues to malfunction, it may too become a gigantic and expensive ruin to be discovered by future generations.

It is suspected that the Mayan civilization was effected and ultimately destroyed by overpopulation, foreign invasion, peasant revolt, the collapse of key trade routes, environmental disaster, epidemic disease, and climate change.  Ring a bell? Each and every one of these impacts humans in the modern day.

I believe the Hadron Collider shows very clearly where we are going wrong and how we can avoid the kind of demise that led to the end of Mayan civilization.

1. Speed

The Hadron Collider consists of a 17 mile long underground tube. Its vast size is necessary in order to replicate the speed of light. If all goes as planned, the subatomic particles will be traveling around the tube so fast that when they speed around for 10 hours, they will have traveled 6 billion miles… enough to get to Neptune and back.  But is the speed of light really what’s going to help humanity? As the yogi Iyengar said, “We confuse speed and movement with all there is in life.”  Instead of the speed of light, if we could  better embrace the calming speed of the present moment, we’d be much better off.  Encouraging oneself and others to slow down a notch or two will enable us to appreciate life, think more clearly and deeply, relieve stress, and as I emphasize in my book, live in the moment.

2. Size

The Hadron Collider is intended to discover never-before seen subatomic particles that are 1/1000th the size of an atomic nucleus. Think about it…a giant 17 mile contraption is needed discover a tiny little particle. I think our sense of size and space is out of whack. Is discovering a tiny little particle really going to do anyone any good?  With all the madness of modern living, the space we need to find is the space in our minds, hearts, muscles and joints. To find such space (whether through yoga, running, chocolate, or a sweet siesta) is to find an affordable luxury accessible to every single human being.

3. Structure

The Hadron Collider’s overarching mission is to help science better understand the structure of the universe. Fine. It’s a noble mission to seek knowledge and understanding. However, we are also learning that a pinch of naivete and self-delusion leads to greater happiness.** Sometimes it’s more fun to be a believer, to dream big, to fantasize, to rekindle a childlike sense of wonderment. When we get caught up in structure, facts, and research, life loses its luster. And a little luster could do a lot of good for all the people in the world grinding it out day after day.

When 22% of Americans live without health insurance let alone half the world living on $2 a day or less, humanity doesn’t need far-fetched experiments. Humanity needs hope, care, and at least once in a while, a reason to smile.

by David Romanelli (www.yeahdave.com)

*http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/weekinreview/09glanz.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=large%20hadron%20collider&st=cse

**from The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner