Fiona Galea Debono
Maltese scientist upbeat on Big Bang experiment
Although the largest and most expensive scientific experiment in history, conducted yesterday by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (Cern), was a success, it may take months - even years - to discover the new fundamentals of physics, not yet accessible to mankind, that should emerge from the Large Hadron Collider, Nicholas Sammut told The Times from the hub of the action in the control centre outside Geneva.
Just after initial success was registered and in between further testing, Dr Sammut, a research engineer on the project that has attracted the world's attention, said he was "thrilled" at the results of the first LHC beam test that should unlock the secrets of the universe. However, that could take a while...
A beam of particles was successfully circulated around the 27-kilometre underground tunnel - the largest and most powerful scientific instrument ever constructed by mankind - to simulate the conditions of the so-called Big Bang that created the universe.
"We had no problems whatsoever; we reached our milestone in just 50 minutes, which was incredible. The machine worked perfectly, without any hitches, which was important for us because now we know it is on line."
The "milestone" referred to the transition from the machine's construction to its operational phase.
But yesterday also marked a personal milestone for Dr Sammut, who has been working at Cern for the last five years, contributing significantly to this global engineering effort.
It was a "big test" for him. He was the one to determine the settings for superconducting magnets that had to be powered to direct the particles around the whole machine, the scope of the experiment.
His was a sensitive and high-precision process that lasted years and culminated in his construction of a mathematical model that determined the setting of the whole machine.
"Had I got these settings wrong, the machine would never have worked, so it was a major, personal success".
Dr Sammut's "big adventure" was characterised by working weekends and sleepless nights, reaching a "peak" yesterday.
"You always question whether you really got everything right, but it seems like I got it spot on."
In the run-up, there were, of course, moments of tension. "But in the last days, we started seeing that we were in good waters and everyone was really excited. The test was to be carried out for the first time and under the world's scrutiny and you are never really sure that everything is going to work.
"I spent the entire weekend up to yesterday until 2 a.m. in the control room checking and rechecking. We were also a bit anxious. Deep inside, you always think you may have forgotten something..."
In the coming months, the particles would be injected at increased energy and intensity until they would be made to collide head on, Dr Sammut explained, adding that the collisions would result in the understanding of what matter is made of.
However, it was hard to predict when these collisions would take place, Dr Sammut said. No manual existed for the most complex machine, using unprecedented technology.
"It acts like a giant, massive microscope, except that it is looking at particles that are so minute that mankind has never probed into them. Even though we built it, now we really have to understand how it is working, and certain details we could not predict before.
"We do not expect to have any results before Christmas and, for all we know, not even by Christmas 2009. The LHC will be running for 10 years, mean-ing a decade of data and analysis...
We do not know exactly what we are going to find."
The concept of the "discovery machine" dates back to 1984 and was approved 10 years later, with its construction starting in 2000. Its cost is estimated at between €3 and €6 billion - €3 billion going towards the materials alone. The massive operation involves 10,000 scientists on site per year and the involvement of 500 institutions and universities.
"Calculating the cost is much more complex than that of the space shuttle programme," Dr Sammut said.
To the sceptics of the project's scope and cost, he makes a simple analogy, referring to scientist Michael Faraday, whose 1850s discovery of electromagnetic induction, the basis of electricity and a fundamental science, was initially questioned.
"This is the same kind of science. In fact, we are building on Faraday's work. Cern is discovering what lies at the bottom of all technology and science. So the applications are going to be tremendous," Dr Sammut envisaged.
He discards the "black hole" theories as the "exotic" ideas of "halfway scientists", insisting that Cern, set up to do science for peace, took these arguments seriously and repeatedly investigated in detail their scientific basis, finding no cause for concern.
"Personally, I sleep with a good conscience that the results we achieved are for the good of humanity."
The world may not yet have a better understanding of the laws of nature, particularly the composition of matter and the forces that act on it, as the experiment sets out to achieve. In fact, yesterday merely marked "the end of the beginning", according to Dr Sammut.
But to the man in the street, who may be walking at night and wondering what there is up in the sky - of which scientists today can only vouch for 10 per cent - "Cern is giving answers in that direction; it is going to show us what nature is really made of... and the man in the street will have a better idea of how to use it."
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A Caruana
Sep 13th 2008, 18:30
Dr.Sammut you made me proud to be a Maltese like all the doctors and professionals in the rest of the EU and USA. May this experiment give us the answers we are seeking. Pity we cant go back 1 second before the Big Bang..... that would really make a huge earthquake in all sectors of society especially religion.
KEEP IT UP!!!!
@ nicholas ciappara
this might help us answer the fundamental question : from where we came and might lead us to why are we living here and who knows.... evolve in something that is useful to humanity. Waste of money are the feasts (paganism) and USELESShunting (destroying wildlife and innocent animals).
Justin Borg
Sep 13th 2008, 11:22
@Ian Grech
My thoughts exactly.
Another thought: If Dr Sammut studied in theschools and university of Malta, we are even more proud.
c Gatt
Sep 12th 2008, 08:56
@Mr Cutajar.. who quite naively asks "where does this lead too?". well frankly the answer is leads to people like you being allowed to make fools of themselves in public. The means of communictaion you are using, the internet, is a direct result of CERN. If you go http://public.web.cern.ch/Public/en/About/Web-en.html you can read all about it.
As for the future, it is is precisely because we don't know that we need to find out. Nobody created CERN to create the internet, but , boy,that proved useful! Some of the most important (and seemingly mundane) discoveries we have today are in fact the by-products of other research. For example, velcro is a direct invention of the space flights, as were air-lock zips. Who knows,the particle collider may one day be the source of a new means of transport.
Ian Grech
Sep 11th 2008, 22:27
I wonder what makes me feel prouder as a Maltese? Our man at CERN or Britney's maltese bloodline.
Joking apart.
@Nicholas Ciappara
The research done at CERN has provided us with a lot more than 'what happened millions of years ago'. Their research has also produced ground work for various radiation therapies and other medical use such as imaging.
And the most famous 'technology transfer' (as they call it) is the world wide web. I am almost sure you have used the internet once or twice lately - so thank CERN.
M. Mercieca
Sep 11th 2008, 20:18
well, I think it's as important to know history as it is to know the future. Nothing can be done correctly for future's good if we happen to not knowing the history of our planet and the universe.
nicholas ciappara
Sep 11th 2008, 19:37
Sorry but to me this is a waste of money!
Who cares what happened millions of years ago, were does this lead us to?
We'd better take care of our Future instead, to me its priorities first, and who cares if there is water on Mars when our world is facing these natural disasters let alone famine and homeless need i specify?
Now what? Eat me !
Charles DeMicoli
Sep 11th 2008, 18:30
Congratulations to Dr. Sammut - you make us Maltese around the world proud. You're part of a team that's making history.
As for William Patrick, I suggest you get your rocket ship ready. When the protons collide, they'll release thousands of micro black holes that will devour the earth, sun, planets and the Milky Way, and who knows what else!
Joseph Galea
Sep 11th 2008, 15:22
Congratulations to CERN for such an achievement. This is history in the making. Having a Maltese engineer as a contributing scientist to the experiment should make us all proud. As the father of a particle physicist myself (my son is currently a Research Scientist in this field at Columbia University in NY) I appreciate, perhaps more than others, the incredible academic skills, hard work and collaborative attitude that are required by anyone working in this fascinating field of physics.
Lara Borg
Sep 11th 2008, 14:35
Well Done Nicky...
Lara - Trilithon Court...
Michael DeBono
Sep 11th 2008, 14:17
Prosit Nicky!
Very interesting and useful reseach.
Keep it up!
Frida Farrugia
Sep 11th 2008, 13:23
Very well done Mr Nicholas Sammut, you really made maltese people very pruod of you.
F. Camilleri
Sep 11th 2008, 13:05
@Patrick William
You commented 'Surely the only success yesterday was in merely switching this monstrous thing on.'
Turning on this experiment, WITHOUT A HITCH is a great success in itself.
It is NOT fair and rational to ridicule this scientific experiment and research.
A lot of research and dedication were invested before turning on to what you refer ‘this monstrous thing.'
Your comment is unnecessarily a very negative comment attesting to a state of not knowing anything about scientific method and research; a clear case where ‘fools rush in where angels fear to thread.'
F. Camilleri
Sep 11th 2008, 13:00
@Dr Sammut
Please accept my personal congratulations.
DR. SAMMUT, AS MALTESE CITIZENS WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD YOU.
KEEP UP YOUR VERY GOOD WORK.
Dave Alan Caruana
Sep 11th 2008, 12:58
Patrick, William,
merely? i'm not sure you're using the right adjective.
you make it sound like switching on a lightbulb.
maybe Cern need more engineers like you to make their work easier!
prosit to Dr. Sammut, people like you make me proud to be a Maltese engineer.
Raymond Sammut
Sep 11th 2008, 12:56
@ Albert Einstein
"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
No it wouldn't, but tough cookies keep me awake, and I haven't got a clue as to what is it that I am doing.
Steve Rogers
Sep 11th 2008, 12:26
@C Calleja. You are absolutely right. We can now add Britney Spears to the list
Edward Grech
Sep 11th 2008, 12:01
Well done Nicky!
Patrick, William
Sep 11th 2008, 11:37
Surely the only success yesterday was in merely switching this monstrous thing on. The real "success", if it can be called that, is when the particles are made to collide in about a month's time when no-one knows what will happen!
C Calleja
Sep 11th 2008, 11:30
How can we not be so proud of being Maltese! Maltese people excel everywhere we go, if we put our minds to it.