Test will show if the speed of light has changed

This is actually a huge problem if it is found c isn't a constant. A few hundred years worth of maths will need to be redone, as derivatives and more importantly integrals of functions containing c get much, much more complicated.
 
agentrfr said:
This is actually a huge problem if it is found c isn't a constant. A few hundred years worth of maths will need to be redone, as derivatives and more importantly integrals of functions containing c get much, much more complicated.
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Hmmm, so if c isn't a constant, large parts of science will indeed fall, those idiots at UCT were onto something! :D
 
agentrfr said:
This is actually a huge problem if it is found c isn't a constant. A few hundred years worth of maths will need to be redone, as derivatives and more importantly integrals of functions containing c get much, much more complicated.
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It seems to be only inconstant with time, but I see your fears.

I'm trusting that the change over time will be found to be small enough that it can practically be discarded in most fields except astrophysics and cosmology.
 
agentrfr said:
This is actually a huge problem if it is found c isn't a constant. A few hundred years worth of maths will need to be redone, as derivatives and more importantly integrals of functions containing c get much, much more complicated.
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Fluctuations in density in the early universe – measured through cosmic background radiation – have been given a spectral index number based on the theory that light was much faster in the first seconds following the Big Bang.

“Working with their theory that the fluctuations were influenced by a varying speed of light in the early universe, Professor Magueijo and Dr Afshordi have now used a model to put an exact figure on the spectral index. The predicted figure and the model it is based on are published in the journal Physical Review D,” stated the report.
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It won't be a problem if their theory is that the speed of light changed during the early part of the universe. If it has been constant for the last 10 billion years or whatever it is basically constant. If it is still changing it could have many complications. I don't know what time frame they refer to as early universe, but is is usually a very short time.
 
I'm gonna write to my physics lab tutor. I want a remark on that lab I did in first year...
 
scud said:
If true, Telkom will use this to explain slow fiber speeds
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Don't put ideas in their heads! :p

Reminds me of their early 2000's gem regarding ADSL hard caps: "Telkom's ADSL service was never intended for bandwidth-hungry applications, such as gaming or online trading".
 
Misleading headline. They won't be testing to see if the speed of light is a constant but rather if light itself traveled at a different speed during the first few microseconds after the big bang.
 
Here's a thought: if the speed of light was higher at the beginning of the universe, and is now constant, then that means that disturbances in space-time big enough to affect it might temporarily alter the speed of light.

Like, say, a black hole sucking light inwards. Or a supernova. Or two black holes colliding. If the speed of light can be lowered, then that makes it much easier to achieve faster-than-light travel.
 
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CataclysmZA said:
Here's a thought: if the speed of light was higher at the beginning of the universe, and is now constant, then that means that disturbances in space-time big enough to affect it might temporarily alter the speed of light.

Like, say, a black hole sucking light inwards. Or a supernova. Or two black holes colliding. If the speed of light can be lowered, then that makes it much easier to achieve faster-than-light travel.
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Yip, may show factors that influence speed..
 
Randy_The_Squirrel said:
It has far reaching implications, even in electronics.
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You mean especially in electronics.
The whole theory behind maximising the speed at which transistors can switch, gates work, are all based on the speed of light.
This would mean that the response times calculated are in fact inaccurate.
 
krycor said:
Yip, may show factors that influence speed..
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We know there are factors that influence speed - like the optical density of the medium through which the light is propagating ;)
 
Sinbad said:
We know there are factors that influence speed - like the optical density of the medium through which the light is propagating ;)
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As a fraction of c , which is assumed constant. Now if we find c is larger than we thought it was in a vaccuum, or indeed varies with time, then we have an issue.
 
falcon786 said:
Slower we know,but faster would be the game changer.
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Not really. It's been known for some time that it's theoretically possible for particles in close proximity to emit and absorb photons at a speed faster than what they travel. Quantum physics. The speed of light is still c in a vacuum.
 
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