CERN claims faster-than-light particle measured

[rpm]

Scientists at the world's largest physics lab say they have clocked subatomic particles traveling faster than light, a feat that — if true — would break a fundamental pillar of science.

The readings have so astounded researchers that they are asking others to independently verify the measurements before claiming an actual discovery.

"This would be such a sensational discovery if it were true that one has to treat it extremely carefully," said John Ellis, a theoretical physicist at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, who was not involved in the experiment.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap...YI4VQg?docId=94691396d0b44f3aa8105740b51e9e9f

 

[stricken]

whoops.

 

[caspa]

Yeah I just read that article. Awesome stuff

 

[killadoob]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15017484

Well it was only a matter of time.

The speed of light is the Universe's ultimate speed limit, and much of modern physics - as laid out in part by Albert Einstein in his special theory of relativity - depends on the idea that nothing can exceed it.


The results could still be wrong though.

 

[spiderz]

Which color of light is the fastest?

 

[Apache]

Wow that's fast!

On another note... do we actually know what light is?

 

[Billy]

Warp 10 here we come!

 

[Archer]

On another note... do we actually know what light is?

Its a bunch of photons

 

[Ockie]

Warp 10 here we come!

Not possible. It will rip your engine nacells right off. Captain Janeway already tried this.

 

[czc]

Well, speed limits are made to be broken.

 

[Apache]

Its a bunch of photons

That's the most accepted theory at this time.

 

[Billy]

Not possible. It will rip your engine nacells right off. Captain Janeway already tried this.

No not Janeway and not Voyager.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threshold_(Star_Trek:_Voyager)

It was Paris that did it in the shuttlecraft "Cochrane". At warp 10 he was "everywhere at once"

 

[Bobbin]

All over podcasts this morning

Apparently has crazy implications which even I don't understand

 

[Ockie]

No not Janeway and not Voyager.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threshold_(Star_Trek:_Voyager)

It was Paris that did it in the shuttlecraft "Cochrane". At warp 10 he was "everywhere at once"

Or maybe it was slipstream then...or was it the coaxial drive. I forget :-(

 

[Archer]

That's the most accepted theory at this time.

That is plainly wrong. A photon is defined as being the fundemental particle of which light is made up of.
What you are saying above is like saying 1m is in theory 1000mm. It has nothing to do with theory, its simple definitions.

What a photon is made up of though is up for discussion.

 

[Ancalagon]

Quite different to how climatologists would have handled it.

But possibly a major breakthrough. Is it possible the neutrino has 0 mass?

EDIT: Or, what if a photon has mass which is what determines its speed, and the neutrino simply has less mass?

 

[Archer]

Neutrinos have been proven to have mass, photons are still up for discussion by the looks of it.

 

[Geriatrix]

http://i.imgur.com/y5RJc.jpg

 

[Devill]

Was wondering when something "cool" would come from CERN experiments... I was just not expecting this (if it is accurate).

//Does a Sheldon voice

"Bazinga"

 

[Messugga]

Wow that's fast!

On another note... do we actually know what light is?

Is there any doubt about the nature of light? My physics modules during university seemed pretty confident as to what light is, so if that is not so, I'd love to find out where the grey areas are.