Talya (she/her) 🏳️‍⚧️✡️1d ago

CERN just managed to transport antimatter via truck, and people are asking what happens if it gets into an accident. the answer is... a car accident.

the energy equivalence of antimatter is huge — 10¹⁷J/kg, but the amount is tiny — 92 protons. it's so tiny that if i placed all 92 in your hand, the destruction and release of energy would feel less warm than mere sunlight, by a factor of at least a few thousands.

i'd be more worried about the 2-ton magnetic containment machine in that truck.

Show threadJackie1d ago

@Yuvalne

I would say it would be cool if we were to find out how to store massive amounts of antimatter, but then I would realize it would just be a bomb

Show threadSnoopJ1d ago
@burnoutqueen @Yuvalne this is in fact the point of BASE, but the tendency of antimatter to annihilate is a good reason to start small.
Show threadSnoopJ
@burnoutqueen @Yuvalne I have no idea what the plan is for "we'd like to drive our bomb on the highway" but probably about the same as any other time we put dramatic science stuff on the roads
Mar 27 at 1:12amWeb
Show threadBecca1d ago

@SnoopJ because it's over here and we want it over there but it's too big for a missile?

@burnoutqueen @Yuvalne

Show thread2xfo17h ago
@bweller @SnoopJ @burnoutqueen @Yuvalne
Why wouldn't they just build the bomb where they want to explode it? 😅
Show threadSnoopJ17h ago
@RnDanger @bweller @burnoutqueen @Yuvalne because "a machine that makes antiprotons" in the same way as the Antiproton Decelerator is a rather expensive proposition, especially when the EU *already has one of those*
Show threadThe Doctor15h ago
@SnoopJ @burnoutqueen @Yuvalne Those plans are already mature and well understood. Transporting any dangerous material isn't that different, and some of it is way more dangerous than munition-alikes.