Hawaii judge stops doomsday lawsuit over collider

[September 29, 2008]  HONOLULU (AP) -- A federal judge in Hawaii has dismissed a lawsuit trying to stop the world's largest atom smasher.

U.S. District Judge Helen Gilmor says in a ruling issued Friday that federal courts don't have jurisdiction over the Large Hadron Collider in Europe, near Geneva.

Two Hawaii residents sued because they feared the machine could create black holes or other phenomena that could destroy the planet.

Most physicists say the collider is safe. It started low-power operation Sept. 10 but suffered malfunctions and will be shut down until spring.

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Information from: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, http://www.starbulletin.com/

[Associated Press]

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