[ WP ] As the CERN LHC is turned up to it 's highest power level ever , a message spells itself out on the particle detector . `` Go no further , or else ... ''

`` Ok, the data from the other detectors has been analysed. They're seeing the same thing as us at 12.97 TeV. It's five sigma now, no doubt. There's a signal there.'' 
 
 Jerry sat back in his chair, exhaling deeply, staring out of the window of the conference room at the mountains outside. He took a moment to think about the news he had just received. Many people dream of making history; few are given the chance to actually do so. This was most definitely the chance to make history, and goddammit he was going to step up. He re-focussed his attention on the researcher who had brought him this news and, with a wry smile, said `` well, what are we waiting for; let's get this thing analysed!'' 
 
... 
 
 Here it was. Finally the first portion of the signal had been analysed. It was unbelievable really, an unmistakable, unwavering pattern in the radiation emitted from collisions with a center of mass energy of 12.97 TeV. Everything in modern physics said this should not be possible, could not be possible. A collision of this nature should produce a randomised radiation pattern... and yet, there it was, the same pattern every single time. 
 
 They had gotten everyone on it, of course. Everyone. Previous divisions were forgotten, experiments planned for years canned in a second. Nobody could think of anything more important than this signal. Everyone had worked round the clock, giving all that they had. And here they finally were. 
 
 `` Ok everyone, if I could bring this meeting to order please.'' 
 
 Jerry's voice wavered slightly with the knowledge of the magnitude of the information he was about to dispense to the audience of several thousand scientists, but he continued nonetheless. 
 
 `` As you are all well aware, it has been discovered that a unique pattern of radiation is produced in collisions at precisely 12.97 TeV. Not only is this pattern produced in every collision at the energy without exception, it also appears to contain coherent information; a signal, with content.'' 
 
 Jerry paused, sweeping his gaze around the room. All eyes were on him. Nobody moved. 
 
 `` The information density is incredible, just barely below Shannon's limit, so as you can imagine we've barely scratched the surface in terms of analysing this signal. The information is encoded in multiple layers, each building upon the last. The first layer contains a series of prime numbers followed by a series of pulses. I am here to tell you today that we have figured out that those pulses are tied to the prime numbers. Using the prime numbers as a key, we have been able to determine that the pulses are, for want of a better word, an alphabet.'' 
 
 Jerry stopped speaking to allow the magnitude of this announcement to sink in. The awestruck expressions on the faces in front of him told him that the members of the audience needed more than the moment he was allowing them, but he pressed on. The best was yet to come. 
 
 `` We have used this alphabet to decode the second layer of the signal. It turned out to contain a message. This message reads: go no further, or else...'' 
 
 At this murmurs began propagating through the audience. People turned to their neighbours, wondering if this was a joke. Some looked ready to challenge Jerry, so he quickly pressed on. 
 
 `` We could n't believe this at first either, but every single independent analysis of this signal comes to this same conclusion. Ladies and gentlemen, we are being warned by an unknown agent to cease increasing the energy in our experiments. This agent has written this message into the very fabric of the universe. And we think we know why.'' 
 
 At this, many members of the audience could no longer contain themselves and began directing loudly voiced questions at Jerry. Raising his voice to drown out the questions, Jerry continued. 
 
 `` We have been able to analyse the third layer of the signal. It contains equations, and not just any equations. It contains all of the equations known in modern physics, plus one extra.'' 
 
 The increasingly rowdy audience was struck dumb at this pronouncement. One voice shouted `` which equations?'' 
 
 `` Every equation you can think of. Maxwell's equations, Einstein's equations, the Schrodinger equation... you name it, it's in there. But this is n't what interests us. The presence of these known equations leads us to believe that the other equation in this layer of the signal also describe our universe. In fact, it appears to be THE equation that describes our universe, as best we can tell from the work we have done so far. If this is correct, we have an explanation for the warning in the preceding level.'' 
 
 Jerry activated a projector. Behind him a graph appeared. Jerry indicated to the left-hand portion of the graph. 
 
 `` As you can see in this regime, the predictions of the equation are identical to the equations of known physics.'' 
 
 Jerry moved the laser pointer to a vertical dividing line on the graph. 
 
 `` This line indicates a collision energy of 13.0 TeV, just beyond the maximum collision energy that we have run the LHC at to date. Above this energy... well, things get a bit weird. However, there are tenuous indications that a spontaneous phase transition occurs at 13.0 TeV; that is, the vacuum transitions to a different, lower energy state. Now I am sure that I do n't need to tell you what that would mean for our universe, but given the magnitude of this situation it would be remiss if I did not spell this out: if a phase transition does occur, running the LHC at 13.0 TeV will cause an unstoppable transition to a lower energy state to propagate outwards through spacetime at the speed of light. We will literally overwrite our own universe with another and it will be too fast for us to even see it coming, never mind stop it.'' 
 
 `` There is, however, another interpretation of this equation. Instead of a phase transition, it may be that the equation is describing a localised distortion in spacetime; that is, a gateway to the multiverse''. 
 
 Jerry paused. 
 
 `` However, we do n't understand this new equation anywhere near well enough to be sure which of these scenarios will actually come to pass, and without experimental data in the 13.0 TeV regime we likely never will.'' 
 
 Jerry stopped, letting the magnitude of this dilemma sink in. He looked at his notes, then slowly back up at the audience. 
 
 `` The question now is; do we continue?'' 

