To sum up the project they said: "

"Far below the Black Hills of South Dakota, crews are building the world's deepest underground science lab at a depth equivalent to more than six Empire State buildings — a place uniquely suited to scientists' quest for mysterious particles known as dark matter.
Scientists, politicians and other officials gathered Monday for a groundbreaking of sorts at a lab 4,850 foot below the surface of an old gold mine that was once the site of Nobel Prize-winning physics research."


"Physicists have said that without dark matter, galaxies might never have formed. By learning more about dark matter, they hope to understand better whether the universe is expanding or contracting."

"The research team will try to catch the ghostly particles in a 300-kilogram tank of liquid xenon, a cold substance that is three times heavier than water. If they tried to detect dark matter above ground, the highly sensitive detector would be bombarded by cosmic radiation."

"Scientists hope to start construction on the two deepest labs by 2012 and open them by 2016. The projects are expected to cost $550 million." <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif" alt="" />


And if after the 550 Million dollars plus over-runs are spent and the 300Kg. tank remains empty....fill the hole with cement and walk away? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I'm all for creating jobs but THIS is redicolous!

The outcome of the experiment will not help the world as we know it today or as it will be when project is finished.

Sheding light on a expanding or non expanding universe is mute.

Our lifespan is 77.6 years. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />



Peace.