You may have noticed that io9 is pretty into the Large Hadron Collider. Not only does it look awesome, it does amazing science at the cutting edge of physics that could fundamentally change our understanding of the universe itself. Plus, it gives us all these sexy sci-fi things to think about, like other dimensions, exotic particles and even the apocalypse (even if scientists say there's nothing to worry about). So if you plan on hanging out with other science-loving geeks like us to celebrate the LHC's activation this week, you'll definitely want to check out our LHC drinking game.The rules are simple. Take a drink of your favorite beverage whenever one of the following occurs:
- A proton crosses the border between Switzerland and France.
- A magnet quench in a superconducting magnet causes all the liquid helium to boil away.
- A Higgs boson is detected (2 drinks).
- Scientists learn the secrets of the universe and go insane (2 drinks).
- A miniature black hole forms (2 drinks if it absorbs Switzerland).
- Strange matter is created (weird, unusual or eccentric matter doesn't count).
- A petabyte of data is generated.
- Someone sings the chorus of the LHC Rap.
- The Super Proton Synchrotron reaches 300 gigavolts (2 drinks if it hits 400 GeV).
- The Compact Muon Solenoid finds something that completely alters our understanding of the fundamental forces of the universe.
- Flight 19 suddenly appears over Geneva.
- Particle superpartners are found to have natural supersymmetry.
- An intern confuses muons with gluons.
- The experiment goes awry and someone ends up with superpowers.
- Aliens show up and make us turn off the LHC before we implode reality.
- Scientists go back in time (2 drinks if they create a paradox).
- Someone says "Big Bang."
- Particles crash into each other (2 drinks if there are Batman-tyle visual sound effects, like "Pow!" and "Zap!" when it happens; feel free to construct your own).
- Someone says, "What's a hadron?"
- Scientists access another dimension (2 drinks if that dimension is occupied entirely by Donna Summer impersonators; 3 drinks if denizens of said dimension eat the scientists; note that these two conditions are not mutually exclusive).
- Someone on TV questions the amount of money spent to build the LHC.
- Someone on TV worries that the LHC will destroy the world.
- The world ends (drink whatever you have left).
- Scientists prove string theory (3 drinks because we'll all pretty much have to take their word for it).
- Someone uses the term "beam pipe" in a pickup line.
Thank to Annalee for the idea! Original image by: CERN.
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