Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
IN an almost eerie coincidence, the day after I finished re-reading Angels & Demons by Dan Brown, I picked up the newspaper to gawk at the headline – ‘Scientists trap antimatter for 17 whole minutes’. Shouldn’t we tell the Vatican?
Antimatter isn’t as sinister as it sounds – well, I’ll concede that if antimatter and matter come in contact with each other, they have the capacity to annihilate.
Antimatter has indeed gotten quite a bad reputation from the media. But in reality, antimatter can benefit humans - it can help with medical imaging and cancer treatment, it can even provide a possible solution to our fuel problems. The military may even take the concept of antimatter under its wing, but that’s a state secret – so don’t say a word.
But the question is – is it worth it? Discoveries like these raise the question, pitching the cost of science against its cost on humanity.
Take, antimatter, for example. It is considered the costliest material to make. In 2006, Gerald Smith estimated $250 million could produce 10 milligrams of positrons. One researcher of the infamous CERN laboratories, which produces antimatter regularly, said:
“If we could assemble all of the antimatter we’ve ever made at CERN and annihilate it with matter, we would have enough energy to light a single electric light bulb for a few minutes.”
But the feat of containing antimatter for under 20 minutes is incredible in itself – no one can doubt that. It takes our knowledge of the universe to an even greater level and allows the human race to enhance the potential of science’s subtleties. Its future looks promising, albeit dangerous.
They say the 21st Century man is a man of science, down a path of progress so fast he can’t look back to consider the implications. But is it progress, for progress’s sake?
Are we really benefiting from these wonderful inventions and creations? In the name of science? Yes, definitely. In the name of humanity? Well, that question will forever haunt us.
Is it right to pour trillions of dollars into an industry that produces a few astounding discoveries with talk of possible future implementations? Do we really need to know if there’s water on Mars or if extra-terrestrials are watching us? Yes, it would be great to know. But the price of that knowledge is taking trillions of dollars out of starving mouths and poverty stricken people all over the world.
As someone who loves science and sees my future in it, I support progress in science and the discoveries that it produces. But I also advocate ethical reasoning and I believe science without the consideration of fellow men defeats its own purpose.
Not to fear. If there are any signs that the antimatter canister will blow up the world, we can always count on Robert Langdon.
