http://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/large-hadron-collider-just-might-melt-its-way-out-glitch-n331001

Although many things claim to be the most complex ever built, for instance Space Shuttles, clearly that distinction belongs to the LHC.  And in my opinion Man cannot build and operate anything more complex than this.  There have been many, many glitches, shutdowns, delays and operating errors due to mechanical problems, some of them like the one described.

It has produced wonderful results during the time it has run, even at half power or slightly more.  And it hasn’t run very much.  I think one of the best lessons to come from this is the limitations of the man-mechanical interface.  And we’ve hit the limit.

More science is still in the making, more sophisticated experiments can be done, but with simpler mechanisms.  One can’t stack probabilities on end forever.  And human errors like dripping a piece of metal down a pipe are inevitable.  The LHC has demonstrated that.

(Thus sayeth the Bowser, who is often wrong but never in doubt.)