Theoretical Physics [OT thread]

[a philistine]

quote:

---

Originally posted by DirectorTsaarx:
Well, we can't do this with current technology; there's some dissent on this matter in the physics community. I found an article not too long ago that mentioned an experiment where a particle was accelerated beyond the speed of light. HOWEVER (and this is a tricky point), scientists still believe INFORMATION cannot travel faster than light. So the particle can be accelerated and do damage, but it can't be used to provide FTL communication.

{snip}

---

Actually, I think the experiment did not have a particle traveling FTL, but instead it was a wavefront which was "traveling" FTL (e.g. the peak or trough of a wave) which does not violate the ligtspeed "speed limit", there being a number of similar types of occurences which can travel FTL, but all are equally incapable of delivering information.

I think this article discusses the experiment you were talking about:
http://www.nytimes.com/library/natio...ics-light.html

--A Philistine