Scientific Linux is Part of the Large Hadron Collider Grid

Sep 11, 2008

It’s on everyone’s lips: the Swiss CERN’s 3-billion-Euro Large Hadron Collider(LHC) research project. Scientific Linux is part of it.

The giant particle accelerator is looking, among other things, for the theoretical Higgs boson. The process involves accelerating hydrogen atoms to the speed of light and then colliding them. A particle detector then records the resulting paths. Data to record this yearly is in the magnitude of 15 petabytes (15 million gigabytes). The Scientific Linux jointly developed at CERN helps sort the information. An LHC Computing Grid (LCG) consists of around 40,000 worldwide distributed CPUs that process the data. The participating MACs and PCs will have loaded, among other software, the CERN-adapted Scientific Linux (currently Scientific Linux CERN 4). The LCG wiki page includes instructions in how to set up the required systems and which applications grid participants need.

Contrary to what its name implies, Scientific Linux is not a collector of research software. It is rather based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. CERN, Fermilab and other universities and research facilities contribute to the Linux distribution’s development and adapt it to the needs of the worldwide research community. A newer, more stable version 4.7 of the distribution appeared a week ago.

To take a peek at Scientific Linux, go to their project page. You can download the distribution as an ISO image. Those interested in CERN can go to the CERN Linux pages.

Comments

  • RE: Lego Black Hole

    I do believe the black hole would be a 4 year-old throwing a temper tantrum if you were to have a lego black hole simulation.

  • how

    how the black hole would look a like if it was build from legos?

  • Hadron Collider

    And if they're wrong, we won't care for long. You won't even see a news flash.

  • Yes...

    Yes, I'm perfectly happy for a bunch of scientists to test their theories. They would have had a peer review process to make sure, as best as possible, that nothing dangerous will take place. As far as I can tell, the only people who honestly believe the world is going to end are the religious right who would rather believe we know all the answers than to try asking and answering a few.

  • LHC threat to us

    LHC final launch at the end of 2008 can have really frightining consequences:

    http://www.dailymotion.com/..._tech/video/x6l5s0_hawrad_tech

    http://www.dailymotion.com/...large-hadron-collider-lhc_tech

    Even though the odds of the black hole appearing are not that high, did anyone ask you if you're willing to trust a bunch of scientists with your life just so that they can test their theories? I hope that

    anyone who cares about the future will take an action. Please suggest your ideas (legal, etc) on how to do this. I hope that if enough of us stand united against CERN, the organization behind LHC, we will be

    able to save our planet.

  • I LOVE THE HLC!

    I have recent set to work building the Huge Lego Collider (HLC).
    If my calculations are correct there is a 50 million to 1 chance that it will do something.

    Also, does the LHC use the desktop cube very often or do they prefer the desktop wall?

  • Lego

    If it's build from lego, the scientist could us the rest of the hlc to build a cover around the black hole hlc will create.

  • previous post

    When did the Legos get mad? heh

  • Er...

    Well your said its "mad out of legos" So whos really the bad guy here? Ha

  • No no, it is million

    Yea, 3 million is all it took. It is mad out of Legos.

  • Little mistake

    methinks you mean 3 billion +, not million.
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