Scientists throw spanner into Big Bang machine
A group of researchers is seeking to block the planned launch of the world's most powerful particle accelerator near the Swiss-French border.
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), housed in a circular tunnel near Geneva, will try to recreate conditions just after the so-called Big Bang – the presumed birth of the universe.
Opponents of the experiment, due to begin on September 10, say it will result in black holes that could suck up the Earth.
The group, including the German biochemist Otto Rössler, argue the risk analysis of the project was not in line with standard regulations.
Their complaint, filed with the European Court of Human Rights, is aimed at prompting a debate on the nature of such experiments, the researchers said on Thursday.
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern) denies the experiment is irresponsible and risky.
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