(Atom) Smashing News

Tomorrow sees the launch of the atom-smashing machine under Geneva which may answer the mysteries of the Universe, or end it all with a black hole. Or will it? A fascinating experiment and a great demonstration of confidence in scientists, although answers aren't expected until some years later. Here's information I've borrowed from Sky News:

What's the point of this experiment?
Scientists are trying to unlock the secrets and answer unresolved questions about the universe. There are fundamental gaps in our basic understanding of physics and how the universe works. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will recreate conditions just after the Big Bang (the theory that a massive explosion created the universe) and may help to fill in missing knowledge. Physicists hope the experiment will help them understand what the universe is made of, what propels its expansion and predict its future.

How does it work?
Inside the accelerator, two beams of particles will travel in opposite directions at close to the speed of light. Thousands of magnets of different varieties and sizes will direct the beams around the accelerator. Because the particles are so small, another type of magnet is used to squeeze them closer together to encourage them to collide.

Scientists hope previously unseen particles will be discovered in the debris when beams smash together. The new particles are expected to provide new leads for physicists and may confirm existing theories.

What is the Higgs particle?
The Higgs particle is a theoretical idea to explain mass in the universe but it has never been proved. The theory suggests particles had no mass just after the Big Bang. When the temperature fell, an invisible force field was formed. When particles interact with the field they become heavier. If scientists could identify the Higgs particle or field using the LHC, it would explain why some particles have a greater mass than others and would support the current understanding of how particles work.

Who is involved in this?
The new particle accelerator might be buried along the Swiss-French border but it has attracted researchers from 80 countries. The £2.4bn project has mostly been financed by 20 European member states but the US and Japan are major contributors with observer status. Ten thousand scientists from 500 different institutions have been involved in developing the LHC.

What are the risks?
Sceptics have filed suits in the US District Court in Hawaii and the European Court of Human Rights to stop the project. They claim the experiment will create a big black hole which could suck up all life on Earth. Several safety reviews of the LHC have been carried out which show there is no measurable risk.

Will it create black holes?
Nature forms black holes when stars collapse on themselves at the end of their lives. There is some speculation that the LHC could produce microscopic black holes. If they were created, they would evaporate away very quickly and would be too small to suck in any matter. The accelerator may help scientists understand more about black holes.

What impact will this experiment have on everyday life?
The work carried out by scientists at the European Nuclear Research Centre might seem far removed from everyday life, but it does push the boundaries of existing technologies and engineering in a way that can be adapted to benefit us all. For example, earlier work led to the creation of the internet. Scientists working on the LHC have also created the "grid" which is described as the next generation internet and is 10,000 times faster than most broadband connections.

And The Winner Is...

Yeah, I know I shouldn't care but it really is a guilty pleasure of mine. I'm so pleased the winner was a lovely sweet-natured girl who survived the whole 13 weeks not bitching, being miserable or fame-hungry. Instead she stood up to, and prospered over bullies. A win for society I thought, until the chavvy audience booed her.

Pinch And A Punch

Happy September y'all*.

A bit of News going on in Japan:

The PM, Yasuo Fukuda, has resigned, ending a rather vacuous year-long term. The mostly-popular Koizumi has been followed by two uncharismatic leaders, and a less-traditional move forward to someone similar would probably be a help. But I don't pretend to know much about Japanese Politics, so I could be wrong. Hey, when their Parliament is called the Diet, anything goes.

In other news, the Michelin Restaurant Guide finally took on Tokyo, which previously saw Paris as number one with 65 stars. The Tokyo survey resulted in 191 stars.

Finally, a fairly accurate and honest look at Japan's environmental awareness in the TimesOnline. Take this section, for example:

Japanese people are used to importing from China, unwrapping and then throwing away — on average ten minutes later — 25 billion pairs of disposable wooden chopsticks every year. Most have also grown used to another comfortable fact of Japanese life: that there is at least one vending machine for every 20 people. The machines are, more often than not, illuminated 24 hours a day and most can keep drinks both chilled and warmed to the perfect temperature.

While there is no doubt that packaging, and the number of vending machines lie somewhere between quirky and environmentally unfriendly, the article forgets to mention some positive aspects. A fact in the comments section mentions that while the UK has 6% woodland, Japan is 60% forest; meaning that the carbon deposit easily outweighs Britains.

The other main issue is Japan's copious recycling. Take this picture, which I was saving for an Image Of The Week, but it's appropriate:


That is (from left to right): paper, pet bottles, cans and other bottles, recyclable waste, other materials, plastic and vinyl recyclables, and foodstuffs. Phew.

Finally finally, a little tune which has nothing to do with the above but is rather appropriate for today:


*As trailer-trashy as y'all reads, it's actually quite a useful greeting for a group (you plural) which is otherwise lacking in English, and when 'you guys' just isn't polite enough.

Blogging In The Rain

I have a nifty function on my desktop that shows the weather across the globe; looks like France was best off today. Just.


Il pleut.

Image Of The Week #94

Ruuu-ude!

(taken in Odaiba - 16th July, 2008)

Phil-Board in Japan?

I'm playing the award-winning Mario Galaxy on the Wii (hold on a minute, wiiiiiiiiiiiiii; couldn't resist). For some strange reason, my name turned up.


I consulted with Google and there are four signs throughout: Phil Board, Gil Board, Jill Board, and Bill Board - of which, at last the last one makes some sense.

Must be all those mushrooms Mario keeps taking.

A Lot Of Hot Air

This weekend in Bournemouth is the (first) annual Air Festival. Lots of planes took to the sky, although a few lost out to the rain. On Thursday, something like a stealth bomber from an action movie boomed around town, creating a visual spectacle and an audial headache.


Last night (Saturday) some hot air balloons were inflated along the Gardens, around the Bournemouth Eye.


The blasts of fire into them were pretty impressive, and the crowds seeemed please, but it was a bit disappointing that there weren't any spotlights or strobe lighting set up, and most of the time, the balloons were in darkness.


Further along, a multicoloured heliosphere took to the sky, and a girl gymacised her way underneath it.


The night was finished off with some fireworks.


The red arrows just flew past my window now. No pictures, but here's a short clip from YouTube.

Sunny In Sendai

So that's where the sun's been hiding.

Image Of The Week #93

In a Sendai supermarket after the earthquake a few months ago.

Tanabata In Sendai

About a year ago, I went to a Tanabata Festival near Yokohama. It was an amazing place, with all the streamers filling the streets, celebrating the annual reunion of the lovers across the Milky Way. Sendai, however, is the place to be. For three days near the beginning of August, downtown is full of festivities, with their streamers hanging so low everyone walks through them. (The live-streaming fireworks were the opening ceremony.)

Every shop joins in, from Starbucks to even Claire's Accesories! And of course, no traditional ceremony is complete without Pokemon.


Miyagi Prefecture, home to Sendai, is infamous for being home to the ugliest girls in Japan. This one's no exception:


Even the dogs dress up!

You Can Take The Boy Out Of Japan

Yesterday I quelled my craving for sushi, thanks to my Grandma who went the distance and bought a range of ingredients that we used to concoct some creations. She even bought a bamboo rolling mat!


We started with the rice, and made the rice vinegar (using the wine vinegar, liqueur, salt and sugar). I'm not a connoisseur but it tasted like the real thing. Most of the sushi we made was rolled, spreading rice over a sheet of nori (seaweed)and then including a filling, before rolling it tight. We used tuna mayo and cucumber, and smoked salmon and avocado.


Sushi doesn't have to be raw or fresh fish, although the majority of choices on a typical menu would be, as it also includes other vegetables, meats and the like. However, we adventurously tried some fresh salmon on rice but agreed that it was a bit bland and decided to leave it for cooking later. Otherwise I'm pretty sure Grandma enjoyed it as well, and it was good practice for when Oli returns from LA and we can prepare it for him.


It wasn't as presentable or delicate as an authentic restaurant, but for first attempts, this wasn't half bad:


It was really delicious, with ginger and wasabi (green horseradish), making sure we addressed the ginger delicately; 'gari' means ginger, whereas 'geri' is diarrhoea!

The ingredients were all fantastic, by a company called Yutaka, although their slogan was a little cheesy:

"Sushi made Japan-easy"

A really fun experience. Arigatou.

Trained Chimp

You've heard of 'Snakes on a Plane' but how about the sequel, 'Monkey on a Train'?


Yesterday, this monkey escaped from somewhere and wound up in Shibuya station near my old line, the Toyoko, causing mass hysteria.


If ever there needed to be proof that Japan becomes weirder by the day, surely this is it.

The Curious Incident Of The Doorbell In The Night-time

Woken up at 2am by someone at your door is scary and just weird. Who visits at 2am, except burglars or drunkards?!

Apparently, our bell is on the same wavelength (or something) with a neighbour. Which still doesn't answer the question of who visits in the middle of the night.

For now, case solved.

Can't Do That On A Packed Train

Kohei Uchimura, Silver Medal.
He's only 19 and 5ft 3!

How To Make Mugicha

Japan tea comes in many varieties, from the simple green tea, through to the more complicated herbs and spices. They're all available in convenience stores and one of my favourites is mugicha; roasted barley. Distinguishing features are that it is darker brown than other teas, caffeine-free, and refreshing in the summer. And it's easy to make too!

Step one: procure a teabag.


Step two: fill up a litre of water and add said teabag.


Step three: leave to cool for three hours.


Step four: serve cold or warm it up for Winter's nights, ahhh.

Quick kanji lesson:
茶 (cha) = tea
緑茶 (ryokucha) = green + tea
麦茶 (mugicha) = barley + tea
茶色 (chairo) = brown + colour (brown)

And The Award...

...for 'Best Girlfriend' goes to Keiko. Here, have an imaginary medal. This care package really raised my spirits yesterday.

Revenge

You would have thought that all those hiralious Engrish t-shirts would be a good deterrent for Westerners from falling into the same trap. But did the designers learn? Of course not! Oli found these t-shirts on the Topman website:

The Japanese means nothing and reads nonsensically/awkwardly, to the point where it would probably correspond in English to something like "zxzxqzy".

Key-Train

I won these in an arcade machine just before I left Japan. The key-rings are of a typical ticket and Keihin Tohoku train carriage (anothr popular line) and the Yamanote Line with support handles.


Snazzy, but seeing as Bear McClane is currently protecting my keys, I have nothing to attach them to. Maybe I'll have to get a mobile. While we're on the subject of the Yamanote Line, and I always seem to be, here's a little jingle to remember the stations.

Choo Choo... Gotanda!

When Good Escalators Go Bad

A convention centre in Tokyo on the 5th Aug; the escalator reversed and sped up, leaving 20 people injured and one with a broken leg. Chaos!

How Long Is The Yamanote Line?

34.5kms, which would take quite a while to check using the newest, coolest gadget doing the rounds: a replica Yamanote Train Tape Measure, which displays the stations in order as well!

Surely deserving of a barrage of exclamation marks, so: !!!!


I was fortunate to find one just before I left, and now I'm the envy of all the kids in town. Not really, but no way is this a souvenir for anyone but myself. This website has quite a few funky pictures.