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Roll over Einstein! So nothing can go faster than light you reckon?
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Florio
Miniature Giant Space Hamsters
#1 - 2011-09-22 18:24:08 UTC
BBC News website

Hmmm, stars here we come!
Taedrin
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#2 - 2011-09-22 18:35:21 UTC
Cross you fingers. If it turns out that the speed of light ISN'T an absolute universal speed limit, there may yet be hope to bridge the gap between the stars.

Please note, though, that it remains to be seen if there was an experimental error, or a problem with the equipment, rather then evidence that the speed of light has been exceeded.
Cpt Placeholder
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#3 - 2011-09-22 19:11:57 UTC
Einstein didn't like speed limits either but he needed it for the theory to work.
Benilopax
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#4 - 2011-09-22 19:15:32 UTC
Well at least he got the Nobel prize for the photoelectric effect, that one works fine (see solar panels).

...
Bane Necran
Appono Astos
#5 - 2011-09-22 19:31:06 UTC
Taedrin wrote:
Please note, though, that it remains to be seen if there was an experimental error, or a problem with the equipment, rather then evidence that the speed of light has been exceeded.


They emphasize that over and over again. Nothing is more scary to physicists than the idea everything they have degrees in is found out to be wrong. It looks like that very well may be the case, too. We keep finding things in deep space the current model of the universe didn't predict and can't explain, and even seemingly basic things like gravity (gravitrons are still MIA) still can't be entirely explained. What's been happening for the last few decades is many attempts to force new discoveries to work with the current model, instead of daring to question the model itself.

"In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness." ~Miyamoto Musashi
Herping yourDerp
Tribal Liberation Force
Minmatar Republic
#6 - 2011-09-22 19:39:04 UTC
im not uber good with physics, but is it possible the speed of light isnt the exact number we think it is?

that and subatomic particles do not follow the same laws as bigger particles, i mean at a quantum level can't one object be at the same place twice at the same time.
baltec1
Bat Country
Pandemic Horde
#7 - 2011-09-22 19:42:21 UTC
Bane Necran wrote:
Taedrin wrote:
Please note, though, that it remains to be seen if there was an experimental error, or a problem with the equipment, rather then evidence that the speed of light has been exceeded.


They emphasize that over and over again. Nothing is more scary to physicists than the idea everything they have degrees in is found out to be wrong. It looks like that very well may be the case, too. We keep finding things in deep space the current model of the universe didn't predict and can't explain, and even seemingly basic things like gravity (gravitrons are still MIA) still can't be entirely explained. What's been happening for the last few decades is many attempts to force new discoveries to work with the current model, instead of daring to question the model itself.



I'm betting Dr Michio Kaku is bouncing up and down with excitement right nowLol
Bane Necran
Appono Astos
#8 - 2011-09-22 19:55:00 UTC  |  Edited by: Bane Necran
baltec1 wrote:
I'm betting Dr Michio Kaku is bouncing up and down with excitement right nowLol


Haven't seen much of him lately. I think he's probably losing sleep over CERN never finding the higgs boson. If that doesn't exist then his beloved string theory is done for, and it was the best hope the physics community had. Finding It was pretty much the entire reason CERN was built, but at least we're finding out other cool things with it now.

"In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness." ~Miyamoto Musashi
baltec1
Bat Country
Pandemic Horde
#9 - 2011-09-22 20:14:51 UTC
Bane Necran wrote:
baltec1 wrote:
I'm betting Dr Michio Kaku is bouncing up and down with excitement right nowLol


Haven't seen much of him lately. I think he's probably losing sleep over CERN never finding the higgs boson. If that doesn't exist then his beloved string theory is done for, and it was the best hope the physics community had. Finding It was pretty much the entire reason CERN was built, but at least we're finding out other cool things with it now.



Doing a lot of talks it seems, I saw him on BBC news talking about how excited he was about maby being wrong about string theory not too long ago. I hope he does something soon, all that seems to be on discovery and nat geo are things about loggers, frozen truck drivers and fishermenSad
Louis deGuerre
The Dark Tribe
#10 - 2011-09-22 21:40:31 UTC
Cold Fusion Remake ?
SpaceSquirrels
#11 - 2011-09-22 23:30:16 UTC
this article says Eisenstein is still correct as that still applies within the universe rather than to the universe...or something like that... I never was to spot on with the physics.

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/fyi-can-anything-move-faster-light
Jhagiti Tyran
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#12 - 2011-09-23 01:36:10 UTC
baltec1 wrote:
all that seems to be on discovery and nat geo are things about loggers, frozen truck drivers and fishermenSad


Lately Nat geo>Discovery, National Geographic has had some great programs over the last few months while Discovery have been dedicating a 60min program to a truck with some logs on stuck in some mud,
Slade Trillgon
Brutor Force Federated
#13 - 2011-09-23 11:43:17 UTC
Even though I think scientists jump the gun on releasing results from research and that the results from most reseach is highly sensationalized, I will not discard the likely possibility that Einstein was 'wrong' with some or most of his theories. That being said 'we' have made it quite far with those theories, so they should be respected as such.

\m/
Einstein
\m/

As fast as information travels today I believe that the ethics of research reults release needs to be modified. I will not derail any further on this topic, but it is how I feel.


Slade
Sidus Isaacs
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#14 - 2011-09-23 15:14:52 UTC
SpaceSquirrels wrote:
this article says Eisenstein is still correct as that still applies within the universe rather than to the universe...or something like that... I never was to spot on with the physics.

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-09/fyi-can-anything-move-faster-light



Indeed, the universe is still exapnding, and is not limited by c, its actually accelerating in its expansion.
Akita T
Caldari Navy Volunteer Task Force
#15 - 2011-09-23 15:38:12 UTC
Well, it's not like they go significantly faster... they go about 0.002% faster.
That's a whooping 6km/s (or thereabouts) faster than we thought - so a bit over 299798 km/s vs a bit over 299792 km/s.
Eh.

It's not unheard of things going faster that the speed of light IN A MEDIUM.
Vacuum isn't really "nothing" either (see Casimir effect), so it would be conceivable that the speed of light in "absolute nothing" would actually be 0.002% faster than we thought it really is, since we were always measuring it in either air or a vacuum or blargh knows what else.
Neutrinos might just treat anything (or, at least vacuum) as if it was actually that "nothing" and reach the "actual" speed of light.

And, of course, it really could be just a systematic error.


As they say, "need more data//research" :P

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